Moon urges China's active role in pushing for inter-Korean rapprochement

By Lim Chang-won Posted : February 8, 2018, 18:31 Updated : February 13, 2018, 15:55

[Yonhap News Photo]


SEOUL, Feb. 08 (Aju News) -- President Moon Jae-in on Thursday called for China's active role in bringing about inter-Korean rapprochement, saying a cross-border thaw caused North Korea's participation in this week's Winter Olympics should lead to dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington.

At talks with Han Zheng, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of China's Communist Party, at the presidential office, Moon stressed that Chin should help the two Koreas maintain the current momentum for dialogue, according to his spokesman.

"I hope China will play a bigger role in ensuring the inter-Korean dialogue will lead to U.S.-North Korea talks," Moon said, stressing the need for talks between Washington and Pyongyang to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue.

President Moon called for close cooperation between South Korea and China to keep inter-Korean talks on track at the end of the Winter Games. Han, who heads China's official delegation to the Winter Olympics, agreed, saying the key to peace on the Korean peninsula was held by the United States and North Korea.

"We should strive to achieve the same goal of direct dialogue between the United States and North Korea," the Chinese official was quoted as saying.

In response to Moon's call for quick progress in trade and other relations between South Korea and China, Han said the two countries should tackle problems with patience and time. 

Moon was apparently not happy with Beijing's slow action, saying South Korean firms still facing difficulties in China. "Sino-Korean relations should be expanded to the political and security area so that the two countries can overcome conflicts and develop relations," he said.

Chinese visitors accounted for nearly half of some 17 million foreigners who visited South Korea in 2016. The tourism industry was hit hard by a business setback last year when Beijing implemented a ban on group tours to South Korea in retaliation for the deployment of a U.S. missile shield.

The total number of Chinese tourists fell 48.3 percent on-year to 4.1 million in 2017, according to the state-run Korea Tourism Organization. Beijing partially lifted the ban after the two nations agreed in October last year to normalize relations, but Chinese tourists have trickled in so far.



 
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