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South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (right) shakes hands with US vice-president Kamala Harris during their meeting at the presidential office on September 29 2022 in Seoul, South Korea. Picture: SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE VIA GETTY IMAGES
Seoul — US vice-president Kamala Harris and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol condemned on Thursday North Korea’s intensifying nuclear rhetoric and weapons tests, a day after the isolated country conducted the latest in a series of missile tests.
Harris met Yoon after arriving in the South Korean capital, Seoul, Thursday amid simmering regional tension over North Korea’s missile launches and China’s actions in the Taiwan Strait.
The visit by Harris to staunch US ally South Korea comes amid fears that North Korea is about to conduct a nuclear test. South Korean officials say North Korea has completed preparations for what would be its seventh nuclear test since 2006, and its first since 2017.
“They condemned the DPRK’s provocative nuclear rhetoric and ballistic missile launches,” the White House said in a statement, referring to North Korea by the initials of its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
“They discussed our response to potential future provocations, including through trilateral co-operation with Japan.”
Harris and Yoon reaffirmed a shared goal of the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, the White House said.
Harris also reaffirmed a US extended deterrence commitment to its Asian ally, including “the full range of US defence capabilities”, it said.
Yoon’s office said if the North pushed ahead with serious provocations like a nuclear test, both sides agreed to immediately implement “jointly prepared countermeasures”. It did not elaborate.
North Korea codified its right to use pre-emptive nuclear strikes in a new law early in September.
On Taiwan, Harris underscored efforts to preserve peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is an “essential element of a free and open Indo-Pacific”, the White House said.
US President Joe Biden’s aides have been shoring up alliances to manage China in the region, including over Taiwan.
But Yoon told CNN that in a conflict over Taiwan, North Korea would be more likely to stage a provocation and that the alliance should focus on that concern first.
Later on Thursday, Harris made her first visit to the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas, which aides said was intended to show unwavering US security commitment to South Korea.
The demilitarised zone, seen as the world’s last Cold War frontier, has existed since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice and not a peace treaty.
The trip by Harris to South Korea took on urgency after North Korea fired two short-range missiles off its east coast on Wednesday, the second test since Sunday, while South Korea and the US are holding naval exercises involving an aircraft carrier.
The South Korean and Japanese navies said they would hold trilateral anti-submarine exercises with US forces on Friday, designed to improve their capability to counter evolving North Korean threats, including its submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
The drills will involve warships including the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier, the USS Chancellorsville guided-missile cruiser, the USS Barry guided missile destroyer, South Korea’s Munmu the Great destroyer and Japan’s Asahi tanker.
Harris said in Japan, the first stop on her Asian tour, that North Korea’s missile launches were part of an “illicit weapons programme which threatens regional stability”.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said the country is developing nuclear weapons and missiles to defend against US threats.
Harris and Yoon also discussed changes in US electric vehicle subsidies which South Korea fears could disadvantage its carmakers.
Harris met a group of South Korean women leaders including Choi Soo-yeon, CEO of internet service provider Naver; Youn Yuh-jung, an actress who won an Oscar for her role in Minari; Kim Yuna, an Olympic figure-skating champion; and novelist Kim Sagwa.
A White House official said the women had “made strides in building a more inclusive and equitable society”.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Harris and Yoon denounce North Korea nuclear talk
Seoul — US vice-president Kamala Harris and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol condemned on Thursday North Korea’s intensifying nuclear rhetoric and weapons tests, a day after the isolated country conducted the latest in a series of missile tests.
Harris met Yoon after arriving in the South Korean capital, Seoul, Thursday amid simmering regional tension over North Korea’s missile launches and China’s actions in the Taiwan Strait.
The visit by Harris to staunch US ally South Korea comes amid fears that North Korea is about to conduct a nuclear test. South Korean officials say North Korea has completed preparations for what would be its seventh nuclear test since 2006, and its first since 2017.
“They condemned the DPRK’s provocative nuclear rhetoric and ballistic missile launches,” the White House said in a statement, referring to North Korea by the initials of its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
“They discussed our response to potential future provocations, including through trilateral co-operation with Japan.”
Harris and Yoon reaffirmed a shared goal of the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, the White House said.
Harris also reaffirmed a US extended deterrence commitment to its Asian ally, including “the full range of US defence capabilities”, it said.
Yoon’s office said if the North pushed ahead with serious provocations like a nuclear test, both sides agreed to immediately implement “jointly prepared countermeasures”. It did not elaborate.
North Korea codified its right to use pre-emptive nuclear strikes in a new law early in September.
On Taiwan, Harris underscored efforts to preserve peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is an “essential element of a free and open Indo-Pacific”, the White House said.
US President Joe Biden’s aides have been shoring up alliances to manage China in the region, including over Taiwan.
But Yoon told CNN that in a conflict over Taiwan, North Korea would be more likely to stage a provocation and that the alliance should focus on that concern first.
Later on Thursday, Harris made her first visit to the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas, which aides said was intended to show unwavering US security commitment to South Korea.
The demilitarised zone, seen as the world’s last Cold War frontier, has existed since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice and not a peace treaty.
The trip by Harris to South Korea took on urgency after North Korea fired two short-range missiles off its east coast on Wednesday, the second test since Sunday, while South Korea and the US are holding naval exercises involving an aircraft carrier.
The South Korean and Japanese navies said they would hold trilateral anti-submarine exercises with US forces on Friday, designed to improve their capability to counter evolving North Korean threats, including its submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
The drills will involve warships including the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier, the USS Chancellorsville guided-missile cruiser, the USS Barry guided missile destroyer, South Korea’s Munmu the Great destroyer and Japan’s Asahi tanker.
Harris said in Japan, the first stop on her Asian tour, that North Korea’s missile launches were part of an “illicit weapons programme which threatens regional stability”.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said the country is developing nuclear weapons and missiles to defend against US threats.
Harris and Yoon also discussed changes in US electric vehicle subsidies which South Korea fears could disadvantage its carmakers.
Harris met a group of South Korean women leaders including Choi Soo-yeon, CEO of internet service provider Naver; Youn Yuh-jung, an actress who won an Oscar for her role in Minari; Kim Yuna, an Olympic figure-skating champion; and novelist Kim Sagwa.
A White House official said the women had “made strides in building a more inclusive and equitable society”.
Reuters
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