ⓒYONHAP News

Speaking to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, President Moon Jae-in said it is time for the world to respond to North Korea's decision to denuclearize.

"North Korea has come out of its long isolation on its own to stand before the world again. Now, it is time for the international community to respond to North Korea's new choice and efforts. We must provide assurance that Chairman Kim Jong-un's decision to denuclearize was the right choice. We must lead North Korea so it can continue to walk the path of permanent and stable peace."

    

After summarizing the recent improvements in inter-Korean relations and the North's move toward denuclearization, Moon said that declaring a formal end to the Korean War is a process that is needed to build a peace regime.

"I hope bold steps for denuclearization will be taken by related countries in the future and that they will lead to a declaration of the war's end."

Moon also reminded UN member states of his previous proposal for creating the East Asian Railroad Community, hoping that it will serve as a starting point for a multilateral peace regime in the region.

"The UN is declaring that 'it would not leave anybody behind.' I sincerely hope that the UN's dream of sustainable development will be realized on the Korean Peninsula. I am confident North Korea will not stop its march toward peace and prosperity if the international community opens the way. South Korea will do all it can to lead North Korea to that path."

Moon flew to the U.S. three days after his third inter-Korean summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who agreed to take further steps if Washington comes up with "corresponding measures."

Throughout his four-day stay in New York, the South Korean president tried to assure U.S. President Donald Trump and other counterparts of North Korea's sincerity for denuclearization, and presented a rosy blueprint.

But the U.S. has not yet clarified what kind of corresponding measures it will take, and there are no signs suggesting any of the current sanctions on Pyongyang will be eased.