Pompeo says DPRK sanctions to remain
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said yesterday in Tokyo that sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will remain in place until the DPRK achieves “final, fully verified denuclearization.”
Pompeo made the remarks at a joint press conference following a trilateral meeting between foreign ministers of the United States, Japan and South Korea in Tokyo.
“As we build on the momentum of President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un’s historical summit, the United States, the Republic of Korea and Japan continue to strengthen our trilateral cooperation to achieve the goal set out in Singapore,” Pompeo said.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said the three sides “were able to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the continued strengthening of our trilateral cooperation toward the common goal of DPRK’s complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of all nuclear weapons and missiles.”
Pompeo arrived in Tokyo on Saturday after wrapping up a visit to the DPRK, during which the two sides had “productive conversations” according to Pompeo.
“During the visit, we intended to build upon the agreement made by President Trump and Chairman Kim, and we made progress,” Pompeo told reporters in Tokyo.
The DPRK “reaffirmed its commitment to complete denuclearization, and we had detailed and substantive discussions about the next step towards fully verified and complete denuclearization,” said Pompeo.
“North Korea also reaffirmed its earlier commitment to destroy its missile engine test sites, which will make the region and the world safer,” he said.
Pompeo also said the two sides had established a working level team that will deal with the details.
In the meantime, “sanctions will remain in place until final fully verified denuclearization as agreed by Chairman Kim Jong Un occurs,” he added.
The DPRK, however, has expressed deep regret over the result of Pompeo’s visit, according to Korean Central News Agency.
The DPRK felt deep regret over the “gangster-like” attitude of the US delegation led by Pompeo at the high-level talks held on Friday and Saturday with DPRK officials, a spokesman for the country’s foreign ministry said.
The spokesman also said the talks have not only failed to be of any help in trust building between the two sides, but also could result in the wavering of DPRK’s will to work for denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.
Pompeo met Kim during his previous two trips to the DPRK, but Kim refused to meet him this time, and instead wrote a letter to Trump calling for furthering the process of trust building between Pyongyang and Washington after the Singapore summit, according to the KCNA.
The spokesman said that while the DPRK had asked for simultaneous moves on formally declaring an end to the 1950-53 Korean War and denuclearization, the US side only insisted that the DPRK take steps for comprehensive, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization.