S. Korea’s new leader discusses N. Korea, defense system with China’s Xi
Anti-missile system row clouds efforts to rein in Pyongyang; Moon speaks with Chinese president, Japanese PM
that he would immediately begin efforts to defuse security tensions on the Korean peninsula and negotiate with Washington and Beijing to ease the THAAD row.
He also said he was prepared to go to Pyongyang “if the conditions are right.”
Moon’s swearing-in brought to an end a month-long power vacuum after previous President Park Geun-hye was ousted in a corruption scandal in March.
Regional experts have believed for months that North Korea was preparing for its sixth nuclear test and was working to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the US, presenting US President Donald Trump with perhaps his most pressing security issue.
As well as clouding efforts to rein in North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, the THAAD deployment has also led to recriminations from Beijing against South Korean companies.
Moon explained the difficulties faced by South Korean companies that are doing business in China and asked for Xi’s “special attention” to ease those concerns, Yoon said.
South Korea and the US began deploying the THAAD system in March and it has since become operational.
China sees it as a threat to its security and has called for its withdrawal, but has also denied it was doing anything to retaliate against South Korean businesses.
Xi told Moon Seoul and Beijing should respect each other’s concerns, set aside their differences, seek common ground and handle disputes appropriately, China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“For a long time, China has upheld the goal of the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, protecting the peace and stability of the peninsula and resolving the problem via dialogue and consultation,” Xi said, according to the ministry.
The deployment of the THAAD system was agreed on by Park’s administration last year after North Korea conducted a long-range rocket launch that put an object into space. Moon said during the campaign for this week’s snap election that he wanted to review that decision.
He and Xi agreed to exchange special envoys soon and Moon said he also planned to send a delegation to Beijing to discuss the North Korean nuclear problem and the THAAD deployment, according to Yoon.
Despite Chinese anger at North Korea’s repeated nuclear and missile tests, China remains the isolated state’s most important economic and diplomatic backer, even as Beijing has signed up for tough UN sanctions against Pyongyang.
China’s Foreign Ministry made no direct mention of the anti-missile system in its statement about the discussions. Beijing hopes that the new South Korean government attaches importance to China’s major concerns and takes real steps to promote the healthy and stable development of ties, Xi said.
Moon later spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and agreed to hold a bilateral meeting soon, Seoul and Tokyo said.
Japan has been concerned that Moon will take a tough line on feuds stemming from the bitter legacy of its 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean peninsula and could fray ties at a time when cooperation on North Korea was vital.
Moon told Abe to “look straight at history” and not make the past “a barrier,” South Korea’s presidential office said.