President Park Geun-hye of South Korea said resolving the North Korean nuclear issue is critical to maintaining world peace during her remarks at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday.
According to Pres. Park, “Resolving the North Korean nuclear issue should be accorded the highest priority if we are to uphold the integrity of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and live up to the aspirations of humanity for a world without nuclear weapons.”
The South Korean President emphasized that addressing the nuclear weapons program of North Korea is the “last remaining non-proliferation challenge” of the international community given the fact that Iran already signed a nuclear deal.
South Korea is willing to support North Korea’s economic development
Pres. Park pointed out that North Korea would be better by choosing reform and opening the country and endeavoring to free its people from hardships instead of increasing provocations.
According to her, North Korea will only undermine the values of humanity’s peace advocated by the international community and the UN if it would continue to push provocations including its nuclear development program.
The South Korean President noted the inescapable reality that the peace in the Korean peninsula is at risk, and it can be destroyed in a single moment based on the recent land mine provocation in the demilitarized zone (DMZ). The situation led to a dangerous military standoff between the two Koreas but managed to reach an agreement through high-level negotiations on August 25.
Pres. Park said South Korea is willing to work with the international community to actively support North Korea in developing its economy and improving the quality of life of its time. However, Pyongyang must give up its nuclear ambitions and choose openness and cooperation to receive help from Seoul.
According to her, the motivation for both Koreas to move forward towards cooperation and reconciliation would come from the faithful implementation of the August 25 agreement.
North Korea already expressed its strong opposition to a nuclear deal similar to the Iran agreement. A spokesman for the country’s foreign ministry said Pyongyang is “not interested at all” in negotiations that would compel it to freeze or dismantle its nuclear weapons unilaterally.
A unified Korean Peninsula will contribute to world peace
“We must no longer use political and military reasons as excuses for turning a blind eye to humanitarian issues, in particular, the reunion of separated families,” said Pres. Park.
She is also hoping for South Korea and North Korea to embark on the path to regaining their common identity as one nation through the official dialogue and range of exchanges under the August 25 accord.
According to Pres. Park, ending the seven-decades-history of a divided Korean Peninsula will contribute to world peace. She urged that UN to lend its strength to open the doors so that the air of peace could fill the Korean Peninsula.
“A peacefully unified Korea will be a thriving democratic nation free of nuclear weapons and upholding of human rights.What is more, a unified Korean Peninsula, both as a symbol of peace in our global village and a new engine of growth – will contribute greatly to peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia and beyond,” said Pres. Park.
