U.S. general: Pressure must be kept on North Korea
SEOUL, South Korea — The commander of U.S. forces in South Korea said Wednesday that he’s cautiously optimistic nuclear diplomacy will work out with North Korea. But he also said Seoul and Washington must continue to apply pressure so that “there’s not a reason or even an ability” for the North to back out.
Gen. Vincent Brooks told reporters that reports about continuing nuclear and missile development activities show that Pyongyang lacks confidence that it can take real steps toward denuclearization and still be safe.
“While I do seek to have empathy to understand why North Korea is doing what it’s doing and where it’s coming from, nevertheless, this is a condition North Korea created for itself,” Brooks said at a news conference in Seoul.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a historic summit with President Donald Trump in June. They issued aspirations for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.
Post-summit talks aimed at mapping out a denuclearization process got off to a rocky start, with North Korea accusing a senior U.S. delegation of making unilateral demands for the country to relinquish its arsenal. North Korea has also been demanding that the United States fast-track discussions on a declaration to formally end the Korean War.
“The amount of progress that has been made in the relationships among countries since this time last year is perhaps not something that could have been conceived of last year, and yet it has happened,” Brooks said. “But we still have to see earnest action being taken on those matters of great concern, like denuclearization. There is still a need for continued pressure so that there’s not a reason or even an ability for North Korea to back up.”