U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Sung Kim declared once again today that South Korea and the U.S. are ready to talk to North Korea, but only if Pyongyang shows a sincere commitment to dialogue.
Speaking at a defense forum held by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), Kim said, “North Korea must live up to its commitments to its international obligations and live peacefully and responsibly with its neighbors.”
He pointed out that North Korea was the one that walked out of the Six-Party Talks first, and although the U.S. has been trying to resume talks with the North for some time, Pyongyang has responded with provocative acts rather than dialogue.
Therefore, he went on regarding the alliance with South Korea and the U.S.’ role in Northeast Asia, “As partners, close partners, whose alliance is a linchpin of stability in North East Asia, we take very seriously our mission of maintaining stability… The U.S. remains firmly committed to our alliance and to the defense of the Republic of Korea.”
In a similar vein, he also called the recent decision to extend the range of South Korean ballistic missiles the result of a “wise and balanced discussion” between the two countries, and expressed confidence that the transfer of wartime operational control to the ROK military, one of the world’s best, is the right decision.
