US Sherman Visits Unification Minister Kwon Young-se... "Confirming Commitment to Korean Peninsula Denuclearization and Need for North Korea's Dialogue Participation"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Wendy Sherman, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, who is visiting Korea, paid a courtesy call on Kwon Young-se, Minister of Unification, on the 8th to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula and North Korea policy.

According to the Ministry of Unification, Minister Kwon met with Deputy Secretary Sherman at the Ministry of Unification building in Seoul in the afternoon and explained the new South Korean government's policy toward North Korea.

Minister Kwon stated that the approach would be flexible and pragmatic based on principles, keeping the door to dialogue open, but responding firmly to North Korean provocations based on South Korea-U.S. cooperation.

He also emphasized the need to pay attention to the humanitarian situation and poor human rights conditions faced by North Korean residents, and that humanitarian aid should be provided regardless of political or military circumstances. He expressed willingness to cooperate regarding North Korea's COVID-19 situation as well.

Deputy Secretary Sherman also stressed that the South Korean government's position is paramount on the Korean Peninsula issue and said that both sides should continue to communicate more closely and cooperate going forward, the Ministry of Unification reported.

Before the Ministry of Unification released a press statement on the day, Deputy Secretary Sherman posted a photo on social media showing her having a conversation with Minister Kwon and Vice Minister Kim Ki-woong, stating, "Through a productive meeting, we confirmed our shared commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," and "We discussed North Korea's illegal ballistic missile launches and the necessity of North Korea's participation in dialogue."

Deputy Secretary Sherman, who arrived in Korea on the 6th, paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Park Jin the previous day.

On the morning of the same day, she met with First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun-dong and Takeo Mori, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Seoul for the 10th Korea-U.S.-Japan Deputy Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

She is scheduled to tour four countries including Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Laos until the 14th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.