Anchor: The United States says it is ready to "simultaneously take concrete steps" during North Korea's denuclearization process. At a UN Security Council meeting Wednesday, Washington also cautioned North Korea against reversing its commitment to denuclearization. Beijing and Moscow, however, argued that UN sanctions must be eased first to prevent future North Korean provocations.
Kim Bum-soo explains the latest developments.
Report:
[Sound bite: US Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft]
"Let me be clear: The United States and the Security Council have a goal - not a deadline."
The 15-member UN Security Council(UNSC) held talks Wednesday amid concerns that North Korea could resume nuclear or long-range rocket tests amid the current deadlock in dialogue.
During the meeting requested by Washington, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft urged North Korea not to reverse agreements made at the Singapore summit last year.
[Sound bite: U.S. Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft]
"We hope that we do not find ourselves at an inflection point in the near future... " "We have not asked North Korea to do everything before we do anything. The United States is prepared to be flexible in how we approach this manner, and we recognize the need for a balanced agreement and parallel actions that address the concerns of all the parties... "
With the American diplomat acknowledging the need for parallel actions in the denuclearization process, China’s UN envoy Zhang Jun argued that it's time to ease sanctions on North Korea.
[Sound bite: Chinese Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun (Mandarin)]
"Sanctions are only a means to an end, not an end in themselves… "
"It is imperative that this council take action and invoke reversible provisions in DPRK-related resolutions as soon as possible in light of the evolving situation on the peninsula and make necessary adjustments to the sanctions, measures prescribed in those resolutions, especially in areas where the DPRK people's livelihoods are at stake."
Following the collapse of the second U.S.-North Korea summit in February, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pressed Washington to soften its position by the end of this year. With that deadline fast approaching, North Korea's ambassador to the UN declared last week that nuclear talks with the U.S. are over.
During the council session, South Korea's UN Ambassador Cho Hyun called for patience to maintain the hard-won momentum for dialogue.
[Sound bite: S. Korean Ambassador to the UN Cho Hyun (English)]
"... a legacy of 70 years of war and hostility on the Korean Peninsula cannot be overcome in a single day. We will need to pursue this delicate path of dialogue with perseverance and focus and every effort should be made to keep the momentum for this process going."
In a last ditch effort to find a breakthrough, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun is expected to visit the northern side of the truce village of Panmunjeom next week and meet with his North Korean counterpart.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.