War games will hurt nuke talks, says DPRK

Advanced Search

The story appears on

Page A11

July 17, 2019

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

War games will hurt nuke talks, says DPRK

Source: AFP | 08:14 UTC+8 July 17, 2019 |

Print Edition

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea yesterday warned that US-South Korea military drills to be held next month “will affect” proposed working-level nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington.

It was the first statement from Pyongyang on the issue since US President Donald Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un agreed at an impromptu meeting in the Demilitarized Zone to resume stalled denuclearization talks.

“While efforts are underway to arrange working-level talks between DPRK and the US in the wake of the top-level meeting at Panmunjom, the US is planning the joint 19-2 Dong Maeng military exercise,” an unnamed DPRK’s spokesperson of the foreign ministry said in comments carried by state news agency KCNA.

“If realized, it will affect the working-level talks.”

DPRK will be watching the “next move by the US” before it decides how to proceed on the talks, the official added.

The US and South Korea are due to hold joint military exercises in August.

The drills were scaled down to facilitate dialogue with the DPRK after Trump’s historic first summit with Kim in Singapore in June 2018.

Yesterday’s warning came moments after KCNA released a statement from the same official blasting the planned drill, calling it “blatant pressure” on Pyongyang and a “violation of the spirit of the June 12 joint statement” signed in Singapore.

At their meeting last month, Kim and Trump shook hands over the concrete slabs dividing the Korean Peninsula before the US leader took a few steps into Pyongyang’s territory in the border village of Panmunjom, becoming the first US president to set foot on DPRK soil.

World

About Us
|
Terms of Use
|
RSS
|
Privacy Policy
|
Contact Us
|
Shanghai Call Center: 962288
|
Tip-off hotline: 52920043

沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
|
互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
|
网络视听许可证：0909346
|
广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
|
增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012

War games will hurt nuke talks, says DPRK

Email this to your friend