On November 18, the Presidential Office stated in response to North Korea's commentary describing the "declaration of confrontation by the steadfastly hostile U.S.-South Korea alliance," that "the government has no intention of hostility or confrontation toward the North."
Kang Yoojung, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, made this announcement through a press briefing that morning, adding, "We will continue to make consistent efforts to ease tensions and restore trust between the two Koreas."
Spokesperson Kang further emphasized, "Security cooperation between South Korea and the United States is intended to strengthen our security and safeguard the national interest," and added, "The government will continue to work so that the South Korea-U.S. alliance can contribute to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region."
Previously, North Korea issued a statement criticizing the joint fact sheet and the joint statement from the South Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM).
North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency stated, "We will take more justifiable and realistic measures to defend the sovereignty and security interests of the state and to safeguard regional peace," and protested that "the confrontational intentions of the U.S. and South Korea to remain hostile toward our country have once again been formalized and institutionalized as policy."
In particular, North Korea condemned the use of the phrase "complete denuclearization of North Korea" by South Korea and the United States, claiming it "denies the reality and existence of our state."
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