SEOUL: US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her South Korean counterpart pledged Thursday to support efforts to maintain strong deterrence against North Korea and achieve its goal denuclearization.
A joint statement was released after Pelosi met with South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo in Seoul, in which they expressed concerns about nuclear and nuclear developments in the North. missile threats.
“Both sides expressed concern over the dire situation of the growing threat from North Korea,” the statement said.
“We have agreed to support the efforts of both governments to achieve practical denuclearization and peace through international cooperation and diplomatic dialogue, based on strong and widespread deterrence against the North.”
Pelosi also told a news conference that she and Kim discussed ways to strengthen cooperation on regional security and economic and climate issues.
Pelosi arrived in South Korea on Wednesday evening after a brief stopover in Taiwan, and met with US Embassy officials in Seoul earlier Thursday ahead of talks with Kim and other lawmakers.
Later Thursday, Pelosi plans to visit the Joint Security Area near the heavily fortified inter-Korean border, jointly patrolled by the US UN command and North Korea, a South Korean official said.
She would be the highest ranking US official to visit the region after former President Donald Trump, who met with the North Korean leader. Kim Jong Un there in 2019.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeolwho was on vacation this week, will not meet Pelosi but will speak to her by phone later Thursday, Yoon’s office said.
South Korean media have speculated that Yoon may avoid meeting Pelosi to avoid upsetting China, after his visit to Taiwan sparked outrage from Beijing, which claims the self-governing island as its own.
An official in Yoon’s office said he welcomed Pelosi and wished him a safe trip, but did not comment on the reports.
“Our position regarding his visit to Taiwan is that we will pursue close communications with other countries based on the idea that maintaining regional peace and stability through dialogue and cooperation is important,” he said. the manager to journalists.
A joint statement was released after Pelosi met with South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo in Seoul, in which they expressed concerns about nuclear and nuclear developments in the North. missile threats.
“Both sides expressed concern over the dire situation of the growing threat from North Korea,” the statement said.
“We have agreed to support the efforts of both governments to achieve practical denuclearization and peace through international cooperation and diplomatic dialogue, based on strong and widespread deterrence against the North.”
Pelosi also told a news conference that she and Kim discussed ways to strengthen cooperation on regional security and economic and climate issues.
Pelosi arrived in South Korea on Wednesday evening after a brief stopover in Taiwan, and met with US Embassy officials in Seoul earlier Thursday ahead of talks with Kim and other lawmakers.
Later Thursday, Pelosi plans to visit the Joint Security Area near the heavily fortified inter-Korean border, jointly patrolled by the US UN command and North Korea, a South Korean official said.
She would be the highest ranking US official to visit the region after former President Donald Trump, who met with the North Korean leader. Kim Jong Un there in 2019.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeolwho was on vacation this week, will not meet Pelosi but will speak to her by phone later Thursday, Yoon’s office said.
South Korean media have speculated that Yoon may avoid meeting Pelosi to avoid upsetting China, after his visit to Taiwan sparked outrage from Beijing, which claims the self-governing island as its own.
An official in Yoon’s office said he welcomed Pelosi and wished him a safe trip, but did not comment on the reports.
“Our position regarding his visit to Taiwan is that we will pursue close communications with other countries based on the idea that maintaining regional peace and stability through dialogue and cooperation is important,” he said. the manager to journalists.
