Peninsula stability serves all parties

With the United States and the Republic of Korea both expressing hopes that the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue can be resolved through diplomatic means, it seems that re-engagement may be on the cards. But while welcome, their words need to be translated into concrete action if the current standoff on the peninsula is to be pried open to pave the way for its denuclearization.

In his speech addressing the General Debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, ROK President Moon Jae-in called for the resumption of talks with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, as well as a declaration to finally end the war on the peninsula, which is still under an armistice.

US President Joe Biden, for his part, used the occasion to declare that the US seeks serious and sustained diplomacy to pursue the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

“We seek concrete progress toward an available plan with tangible commitments that would increase stability on the peninsula and in the region, as well as improve the lives of the people in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” Biden said.

Diplomacy and dialogue are the key to ensure stability and progress on denuclearization of the peninsula. The parties involved should work toward the same goal and meet each other halfway so that dialogue and negotiation can be resumed at an early date.

Since Biden took office, the new US administration has signaled that the US is willing to take a more flexible approach toward the peninsula issue, and the door is open for talks with Pyongyang. Yet decades of enmity and distrust cannot easily be overcome, not even after the three meetings between former US president Donald Trump and DPRK’s top leader Kim Jong-un.

But history has proved that tough tit-for-tat confrontations lead nowhere, and that only dialogue will produce a workable solution that effectively addresses the security concerns of the related parties.

As a stakeholder in the peninsula issue, China has always played a constructive role and advocated a return to the Six-Party Talks to realize the peaceful denuclearization of the peninsula and bring lasting peace to the entire region. Last week’s meeting between Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Moon in Seoul was just the latest example of the important role China is playing in trying to promote a consensus on the resumption of the talks.

During the meeting, Moon said the ROK hopes China will continue to play a constructive role in maintaining peace and contributing to the realization of the denuclearization of the peninsula.

With all these positive developments, it is hoped the parties concerned will take concrete actions to build up mutual trust, exercise the utmost restraint and continue to create the right atmosphere for resuming talks. China supports the efforts made by relevant parties to this end and will continue to play its due role. In doing so, efforts to find a workable solution to realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula could also provide the added bonus of being another important issue on which Beijing and Washington can work together.