SEOUL, Dec 9 (NNN-YONHAP) — South Korea will take every possible measure to keep the dialogue momentum between North Korea and the United States alive, the unification ministry said Monday, noting a “grave” situation following Pyongyang’s recent unspecified test at its satellite launching site.
On Sunday, North Korea said it successfully conducted a “very important test” a day earlier at the Sohae satellite launching site, also known as the Dongchang-ri site on its west coast, saying the test results will alter its “strategic position” in the near future.
The test came amid growing speculation that Pyongyang might resume launches of long-range or inter-continental ballistic missiles amid deadlocked denuclearization talks with Washington.
“While recognizing the grave situation, we will closely watch developments surrounding North Korea in close cooperation with relevant agencies,” Lee Sang-min, the ministry’s spokesperson, told a regular press briefing.
“As the North and the U.S. are still willing to make progress through dialogue, the (South Korean) government, for its part, will take necessary measures and make other efforts to help them keep dialogue momentum and make progress,” he added.
The Dongchang-ri site has been used to launch satellite-carrying long-range rockets. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un promised to permanently dismantle the site during a summit in September last year with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in a move to emphasize his commitment to denuclearization.
Saturday’s test came as North Korea and the U.S. have exchanged heated rhetoric and intensified pressure on each other to be the first to take action ahead of an end-of-year deadline that is drawing closer for their denuclearization talks.
Hours after the North’s announcement on Saturday’s test, U.S. President Donald Trump warned against provocations, saying that leader Kim would lose “everything” if he acts in a hostile manner.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
