Stephen Biegun calls for UN Security Council's help to denuclearize N. Korea
- 5 years ago
The U.S. special envoy to North Korea has met with the UN Security Council to discuss the process of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, following the collapsed talks between Pyeongyang and Washington in Hanoi last month.
Our Cha Sang-mi reports.
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun traveled to New York on Thursday to brief the UN Security Council on the outcome of the recent North Korea-U.S. summit in Vietnam's capital last month.
During an hour-long meeting with 15 members of the UN Security Council, including the five permanent ones -- China, France, Russia, the UK, and the U.S. -- Biegun reportedly called for the support of the council to maintain dialogue with Pyeongyang while trying to deter the regime from any provocations, citing the recent reconstruction movements at the North's previous missile test site.
Biegun was said to have reaffirmed that the sanctions remain imposed on the regime, until it comes out to denuclearize.
Blaming North Korea's request for sanctions relief in their entirety, Biegun said Pyeongyang and Washington couldn't sign an agreement in Hanoi, but that the talks were "constructive" and the door is open for dialogue for North Korea.
The special envoy is also said to have mentioned the recent annual report on North Korea from a UN panel of experts released Monday, which said the North was successfully getting around UN sanctions through illegal ship-to-ship transfers.
Meanwhile, Cho Tae-yul, South Korea's Ambassador to the U.N, also participated in the meeting, following the invitation from the UNSC due to involvement in the denuclearization talks, despite non-membership.
Cho hosted lunch talks with Biegun the same day to discuss the latest developments.
Cha Sang-mi, Arirang News.
Our Cha Sang-mi reports.
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun traveled to New York on Thursday to brief the UN Security Council on the outcome of the recent North Korea-U.S. summit in Vietnam's capital last month.
During an hour-long meeting with 15 members of the UN Security Council, including the five permanent ones -- China, France, Russia, the UK, and the U.S. -- Biegun reportedly called for the support of the council to maintain dialogue with Pyeongyang while trying to deter the regime from any provocations, citing the recent reconstruction movements at the North's previous missile test site.
Biegun was said to have reaffirmed that the sanctions remain imposed on the regime, until it comes out to denuclearize.
Blaming North Korea's request for sanctions relief in their entirety, Biegun said Pyeongyang and Washington couldn't sign an agreement in Hanoi, but that the talks were "constructive" and the door is open for dialogue for North Korea.
The special envoy is also said to have mentioned the recent annual report on North Korea from a UN panel of experts released Monday, which said the North was successfully getting around UN sanctions through illegal ship-to-ship transfers.
Meanwhile, Cho Tae-yul, South Korea's Ambassador to the U.N, also participated in the meeting, following the invitation from the UNSC due to involvement in the denuclearization talks, despite non-membership.
Cho hosted lunch talks with Biegun the same day to discuss the latest developments.
Cha Sang-mi, Arirang News.