The U.S. State Department points to progress in North Korea’s nuclear program in recent years and stresses that it is an urgent task with a high priority. The United States, along with its allies and partners, says it is committed to solving the problem. Reporter Ham Ji-ha reports.
The US State Department says the North Korean nuclear issue is an urgent task to be resolved.
[녹취: 프라이스 대변인] “As you have alluded to the North Koreans have continued to make progress on those programs in recent years which makes this an urgent priority for the United States and one that we are committed to addressing together with our allies and partners. When it comes to our strategic goals, we’ll focus on reducing the threat to the United States and to our allies, as well as to improving the lives of the North and South Korean people. And again the central premise is that we remain committed to denuclearization of North Korea.”
State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a telephone briefing on the 12th, “North Korea has made progress in the (nuclear and ballistic missile) program in recent years.” He said it was a matter that was dedicated.
“We will focus on improving the lives of North and South Koreans, as well as reducing the threat to the US and the alliance,” in the US strategic goal. “The core premise is that we are committed to the denuclearization of North Korea.” Added.
In particular, “the lack of direct contact with North Korea should not be confused as a signal that North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile challenge is not a priority.” In reality, this issue is “a very high priority,” a spokeswoman Price emphasized.
Spokesman Price explained that this was not because of “lack of urgency” but because of diplomatic efforts to have close contact with partners and allies.
[녹취: 프라이스 대변인] “That is again not a function of a lack of urgency. It is a function of us making sure that we have done the diplomatic legwork, that we have been in close contact in touch with our partners and allies and in this case critically, our treaty allies in the Indo-Pacific, but also our partners throughout the region, including those who make come under threat from North Korea’s ballistic missile programs.”
Meanwhile, the partners and alliances that need to be in close contact are “not only the treaty allies in the Indo-Pacific, but also all the partners in the region, including those under the threat of North Korea’s ballistic missile program.”
“Regardless of the challenge, the United States remains a strong and powerful country in the world as well as in the world, but in all challenges we are trying to bring our allies and partners into’force multipliers’,” said a spokesperson for Price. We have demonstrated our willingness to solve problems through cooperation with the company.
[녹취: 프라이스 대변인] “But regardless of the challenge, the United States of course remains the most powerful and strongest country in the world, but across every challenge, we seek to bring along our allies and partners as force multipliers. And we know especially in the context of North Korea, where a coordinated diplomatic approach, a coordinated approach to sanctions enforcement, a coordinated messaging approach can position us to address this challenge from a position of strength.”
“We know that a coordinated diplomatic approach, a coordinated approach to the implementation of sanctions, and a coordinated approach to message delivery, especially with respect to North Korea, will enable us to address this challenge in an advantageous position,” said Price.
A spokesman for Price also noted that work is being done with the alliance on the Biden administration’s approach to North Korea.
[녹취: 프라이스 대변인] “So, I wouldn’t want to put a timeline on when you might see the next step in this process. But please know that that coordination is ongoing. It is very active. You’ve seen elements and indications of it, not only in the 40 something calls that Secretary Blinken has conducted from here but also in the foreign leader calls that the president of United States has undertaken as well.”
I don’t want to set a timetable for the next steps in this process, but I’m asking you to be aware that coordination is in progress.
“There is a very active coordination,” Price said. “Not only did Blincoln have phone calls with over 40 countries, but President Biden’s phone calls with foreign leaders were “a factor and signal” to the situation. .
This is Jiha Ham, VOA News.