US Envoy Urges Hard Line on North Korea Amid ‘New Missile Test Plan’
Washington’s Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley dismissed the utility of possible direct talks between North and South Korea, warning that a harder line is necessary in light of reports that Pyongyang might be preparing for more ballistic missile tests. “North Korea can talk with anyone they want, but the US is not going to recognise it or acknowledge it until they agree to ban the nuclear weapons that they have. “We won’t take any of the talks seriously if they don’t do something to ban all nuclear weapons in North Korea,” Ms Haley said. The US envoy to the UN was referring to comments by South Korea’s unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon, who said Seoul was “reiterating our willingness to hold talks with the North at any time and place in any form”. South Korea proposed holding high-level talks with Pyongyang, after the North’s leader, Kim Jong-un, said Pyongyang might attend the Winter Olympics. “There is more to do to ensure full implementation of the [UN] Security Council resolutions as we hear reports that North Korea might be preparing for another missile test,” Haley said.
“I hope that does not happen but if it does we must bring even more measures to bear on the North Korean regime.”
Any breakthroughs in relations between Seoul and Pyongyang could weaken the united front South Korea, Japan and the US had forged since North Korea began ramping up its testing of ballistic missiles capable of reaching mainland US cities and underground nuclear tests.
That unity helped the allies secure Security Council approval of three new sets of sanctions last year, virtually cutting North Korea’s access to raw materials and export revenues.
On December 22, the UN body unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea in response to Pyongyang’s November 29 test launch of a new intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-15.
The latest resolution seeks to further limit the country’s access to energy resources and foreign currency earnings. South Korea had echoed demands by the US and Japan for a complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling of Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programme.
However, South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s concern over security during the upcoming Olympic Games appears to be complicating the allies’ strategy.