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President Moon Jae-in on the phone with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on May 1. (provided by Blue House)
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President Moon requests UN observers to confirm closing of North Korean nuclear testing site
On May 1, South Korean President Moon Jae-in asked UN Secretary-General António Guterres to have the UN adopt a statement in support of the Panmunjeom Declaration reached during the inter-Korean summit on Apr. 27 and send observers to the closing of North Korea’s nuclear test site at Punggye Village. “President Moon spoke on the phone with Secretary-General Guterres from 11:30 am to 12 pm and shared his views about the outcome of the inter-Korean summit,” Blue House Spokesperson Kim Eui-kyum said during the press briefing. “I would like either the UN General Assembly or the UN Security Council to adopt a statement welcoming and supporting the Panmunjeom Declaration agreed to by the leaders of South and North Korea. The support of the UN will be very helpful not only for developing inter-Korean relations but also for the success of the approaching North Korea-US summit,” Moon told Guterres. “North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has promised that the closing of the nuclear test site at Punggye Village will be transparent and open not only to South Korea and the US but also to the international community. I would like the UN to take part in the closing to confirm the facility is dismantled,” Moon also said. “If the UN decides to observe the closing of the nuclear test site at Punggye Village, representatives from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under the UN would attend,” said a senior official at the Blue House. After mentioning the section of the Panmunjeom Declaration that talks about a genuine conversion of the DMZ (demilitarized zone) into a peace zone, Moon requested that “the UN observe that process and assess its implementation.” Guterres responded by saying that he would be “delighted to cooperate.” “While your requests are matters that require the approval of the UN Security Council, I will work to help establish peace on the Korean Peninsula. I will have the UN disarmament officials cooperate with South Korea,” he said. By Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporter Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
