U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris has shed light on the progress made so far on engagement with North Korea over its nuclear program.
Sitting alongside South Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Cho Yoon-je at an event in California on Wednesday, Harris displayed optimism about denuclearization-related diplomacy despite the recent setbacks that manifested from last month's collapsed summit talks.
Harris said the U.S. and North Korean leaders sitting down together for talks was unthinkable in 2017, when he was serving as the head of the U.S. Pacific Command and the North was testing an intercontinental ballistic missile. He said the situation now is better than ever.
While reiterating the Trump administration’s stance that it's in no rush to denuclearize the North, Harris emphasized efforts are being made to swiftly implement the agreements reached during the first North Korea-U.S. summit in Singapore last June.
He also pointed out it has been less than a year since the Singapore summit was held, and said efforts for denuclearization will still take time.
Cho emphasized the South Korea-U.S. alliance as a basis for peace, stability and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, adding that even though there are some potential differences, they are coordinating more closely than before.