Moon Jae-in, Xi hold summit over N. Korea denuclearisation

SEOUL: South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a summit in Papua New Guinea yesterday to discuss North Korea's denuclearisation and other issues, Yonhap news agency reported.

The meeting on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum came as Moon pushes to elicit international support to keep Pyongyang on a denuclearisation track amid an apparent lack of progress in its negotiations with Washington.

The leaders last met in December, when Moon made a state visit to Beijing. Saturday's summit is their fourth since Moon took office in May last year.

At the summit, Moon was expected to call on Xi to play an active role in persuading the North to take tangible steps towards its nuclear disarmament that could ease growing scepticism over its willingness to renounce its nuclear ambitions.

The two sides may also discuss how to bridge the gap between Washington and Pyongyang in their nuclear negotiations.

The North has sought US concessions vis a vis its demands for a declaration of a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War – apparently as a way to guarantee its regime security – and sanctions relief.

But the US has insisted that Pyongyang should first take concrete measures, such as a full declaration of its nuclear and missile programmes, before any rewards could be given, particularly amid reports that the reclusive regime is continuing its weapons programme. — Bernama