South Korea and the U.S. Hold North Korea Nuclear Talks in Washington... "Thoroughly Prepared for North Korean Provocations"

Lee Jun-il, Director of Korean Peninsula Affairs, Meets with US Deputy Representative Bailey
Thorough Preparedness for Possible North Korean Provocations Including NLL Neutralization

Lee Jun-il, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Korean Peninsula Policy Bureau, met with Seth Bailey, U.S. Department of State Deputy Special Representative for North Korea, in Washington D.C. on the 22nd (local time) to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula and responses to North Korea's nuclear threats.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 23rd, both sides condemned the recent complex provocations by North Korea, such as the release of balloon-borne trash, and urged North Korea to immediately cease destabilizing actions and return to dialogue proposed by South Korea and the U.S. They also agreed on the need to thoroughly prepare for all possible provocations by North Korea, including unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the West Sea. This is interpreted as considering the possibility of North Korea carrying out provocations aimed at undermining the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea.

Lee Jun-il, Director of the Korean Peninsula Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, met with Seth Bailey, U.S. Department of State Special Representative for North Korea, in Washington DC on the 22nd (local time) to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula and measures to respond to North Korea's nuclear program.
[Photo by Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

Both sides also expressed concern over North Korea and Russia continuing various military and economic cooperations in violation of United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions, and agreed to respond firmly with the international community based on close South Korea-U.S. cooperation.

Furthermore, they agreed to strengthen efforts to counter illegal cyber activities, dispatch of overseas workers, and smuggling of refined oil to cut off funding for North Korea's nuclear and missile development. As part of this, they plan to actively consider independent sanctions against individuals and companies involved in regional smuggling to North Korea and to pursue various measures including industry guidance.

Meanwhile, Deputy Special Representative Bailey, who also serves as the U.S. Department of State's Director for Korea and Mongolia, is currently the highest-ranking official practically handling North Korea issues at the State Department following the resignation of Senior North Korea Official Jeong Park, who was in charge of North Korea policy, on the 5th.