U.S. hopes for 'meaningful, verifiable' denuclearization: Yonhap

By Lim Chang-won Posted : September 19, 2018, 07:48 Updated : September 19, 2018, 07:48

[EPA/Yonhap News Photo]



WASHINGTON -- The United States said that it hopes to see "meaningful" and "verifiable" steps toward the dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear weapons program through this week's meeting between the two Korean leaders.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the ongoing summit in Pyongyang between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is a "historic opportunity" for Kim to follow through on the denuclearization commitments he made previously.

It was the first response out of Washington since Moon and Kim sat down Tuesday for their third meeting. The two will hold another session Wednesday before announcing the outcome of their talks. The high-stakes meeting is being closely watched for any firm commitments from Kim that could break the current impasse in denuclearization negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea.

"We hope to see meaningful, verifiable steps toward the denuclearization of North Korea," Nauert said during a regular press briefing. The summit "represents, in our view, a historic opportunity for Chairman Kim to follow through on the commitments that he made to President Trump at the Singapore summit, but also the commitments that he made in Panmunjom, with meaningful and verifiable actions toward the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea," she added.
(Yonhap)
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