North Korea reportedly would consider abandoning its nukes
North Korea said it is willing to talk to the United States about abandoning its nuclear weapons program if its security can be guaranteed, South Korea’s government said Tuesday.
If confirmed, the move would mark a significant departure from North Korea’s previous stance on its nuclear program and give momentum to South Korea’s efforts to bring the United States and North Korea together for talks.
The North said it would stop testing nuclear weapons and missiles for the duration of any “candid talks” it may hold with Washington, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.
In a tweet Tuesday, President Trump said the announcement signaled “possible progress” in efforts to get North Korea to discuss its nuclear program.
“For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!” he wrote.
North Korea has not yet confirmed the South’s claim that it is willing to talk.
The announcement in the South’s capital came as the two Koreas also said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has agreed to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the end of April for a summit to discuss denuclearization.
The meeting, only the third ever between the leaders of the two countries, will be held in the demilitarized zone, a border area that has divided the two nations since 1953. The countries also agreed to set up a telephone hotline between their leaders.
The apparent diplomatic breakthrough came after the first ever highlevel meeting between Kim and a South Korean delegation Monday in the North’s capital, Pyongyang.
South Korea’s presidential national security director, Chung Eui-yong, who attended the meeting, said Kim’s regime signaled it would not need to keep its nuclear weapons if military threats against the country are resolved and it receives a credible security guarantee, Yonhap reported.
The White House has previously ruled out direct talks with North Korea unless it fully commits to abandoning its nuclear weapons program. Trump has threatened exchanged insults with Kim and imposed tough sanctions.