청 "North Korea's Nuclear Missiles Closely Monitored by ROK-US... Evidence of Urgent Need for Engagement with North"

The view of Cheongwadae from Namsan, Seoul on the 11th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Regarding the restart of the reactor within the Yongbyon nuclear facility, the Blue House stated that it had been "closely monitoring North Korea's nuclear missile activities under tight South Korea-US cooperation." It also added that engagement with North Korea to resolve the advancement of its nuclear capabilities is urgent.

A Blue House official responded to reporters' questions on the 31st, saying, "I would like to clearly reiterate that South Korea and US intelligence agencies have been closely monitoring North Korea's nuclear activities and missile trends."

The official added, "The continued advancement of North Korea's nuclear capabilities indicates the urgency of engagement with North Korea to resolve this issue. Based on a shared understanding of the current situation between South Korea and the US, we are actively seeking dialogue with North Korea."

Regarding criticism that the Moon administration, which aims for peace between the South and the North, is increasing military spending by 36.9%, the official replied, "a strong defense capability is a prerequisite for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of lasting peace."

The opposition party continued to criticize, calling President Moon's order for 'no masks' in military units a 'biological experiment.' In response, a Blue House official stated, "Since the vaccination completion rate is approaching 94%, the normalization is being carried out step by step, and during this process, the effects are being observed and discussed with health authorities. This was the intention behind the remarks."

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