South Korea to China: Stalled US-North Korea talks harmful for Pyongyang

The South Korean President Moon-Jae-in told the President of China Xi Jinping that stalled denuclearisation talks between the United States and North Korea are not beneficial for Pyongyang. While North Korea has set a year-end deadline for the US to change its 'hostile' policy amid efforts to end its nuclear programme, in the latest war of words between both countries, Pyongyang has said that Washington could 'pay dearly' for taking its issue with the human rights accord. The supreme leader of North Korea Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump have reportedly met thrice since June 2018 to make substantive progress because Kim wants POTUS to first lift the sanctions. 

According to international media reports, Moon told Xi that he appreciates China's important role on the Korean issue. Moon also said that the recent situation where dialogue between Kim and Trump was suspended and tensions are escalating on the Korean peninsula, it is 'never beneficial' for China and South Korea but also for North Korea. Moon also expressed his wish to work with Xi 'more closely' so that the situation between the US and North Korea 'will bear fruit'. Xi in return told Moon that Beijing supports Seoul's efforts to improve relations with their Northern counterpart and even injected new impetus into the promotion of peace talks. 

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Moon is currently visiting China for a trilateral meeting between Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in the southwestern city of Chengdu. Both, China and South Korea have advocated the peninsula issue to be resolved through peaceful dialogues to 'maintain stability'. Abe will meet Xi in Beijing a day before he heads to Chengdu where various matters will be discussed including tensions between Seoul and Tokyo-North Korea. 

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North Korea-US relations

Under the leadership of the US President, it was for the first time ever in 2018 that the US started talks with North Korea. Trump met with his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-un for a summit meeting held at Sentosa, Singapore to discuss new peaceful relations and denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. US special representative for North Korea, Stephen Beigun recently visited the region to meet with officials from Pyongyang but he had to return empty-handed because apparently he couldn't secure a meeting with his North Korean counterparts. Beigun, however, visited Seoul and Tokyo for discussions on the regional security situation. While in Seoul, Beigun challenged North Korea to restart discussions and warned that any provocative missile test will be most unhelpful in achieving lasting peace on the Korean peninsula. 

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(With agency inputs)