U.S. will agree with Moon’s sanctions-easing pitch, says Cheong Wa Dae

Oct 23, 2018, 10:10 am

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President Moon Jae-in greets French President Emmanuel Macron before talks at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, October 15, 2018./ Source: Yonhap News

By AsiaToday reporters Park Ji-sook & Lee Seok-jong

Cheong Wa Dae said on Monday the United States would agree with President Moon Jae-in’s “sanctions-easing” pitch aimed at pushing Pyongyang to take the next step to denuclearization.

Such response was made by a senior Cheong Wa Dae official when asked if the U.S. would feel uncomfortable with Moon’s sanctions-easing agenda.

At summits with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May, the South Korean leader said that easing U.N. sanctions is necessary if the North’s denuclearization process reaches a point of no return.

“That is not what the South Korea-U.S. alliance is,” the official said. “There can exist various views even in the U.S. itself, and because the direction and goal we are heading for are the same, the U.S. trusts us even if how we get there may differ in the process.”

Such comments by Cheong Wa Dae appears to be aimed at blocking any possible concerns over different stances between the U.S. and South Korea on reducing sanctions against the North.

“The process may be different (for South Korea and the United States), but they are eventually heading to the same goal,” the official said. “Moon’s sanctions-relief message is a plus for the United States,” he added.

In particular, the official emphasized there is no problem with the South Korea-U.S. alliance in carrying out denuclearization and said it will be “difficult to criticize” Washington’s lack of mention in easing North Korean sanctions.

With regards to the possibility that the second North Korea-U.S. summit will not be held within this year, Cheong Wa Dae said, “We hope for the second summit between North Korea and the U.S. to be held without a setback. We are also hoping for Chairman Kim Jong-un’s visit to Seoul to take place as planned.”

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