Unification
Spokesperson's Commentary
January
1, 2020
o
The ROK Government estimates that North Korea has not declared a halt
to dialogue with the United States in its report of the 5th Plenary
Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party today(1.1).
The Government hopes the U.S.-DPRK talks be held at an early stage to
bring substantial progress in accordance with the principle of
simultaneous and parallel implementation of the U.S-DPRK joint
statement at the Singapore Summit.
o The
Government takes note of the North's claim that "the world
would be witnessing a new strategic weapon soon," and expresses
its position that the North acting as stated will not help efforts
to progress denuclearization negotiations and settle peace on the
Korean Peninsula.
o The Government
will continue to make efforts to contribute to substantial progress
in the denuclearization negotiations between the U.S. and North
Korea, and improve inter-Korean relations, especially in
implementing agreements to build military confidence between the two
Koreas. In this regard, we confirm that the ROK and U.S. have in
fact refrained from conducting large-scale joint military exercises
while talks were held.
* Unofficial
translation