Pyongyang's denuclearization may proceed speedily: official

The U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, escorts South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha to a joint press conference at the State Department in Washington, DC, May 11. / EPA-Yonhap

Moves to denuclearize North Korea are expected to proceed speedily this time, due to a determination by the leaders of the two Koreas and the United States to achieve that goal, a ranking South Korean government official said Friday.

The official told Korean reporters here that the dismantling of North Korea's nuclear weapons program will likely proceed at a speed far faster than under any other similar nuclear accords of the past.

"Implementation of a (denuclearization) agreement is expected to proceed swiftly if the leaders are committed to the deal," the official said.

Regarding the upcoming North Korea-U.S. summit talks, the official said, "The goal is complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement. How to reach the destination will depend on an agreement between the North Korean and U.S. leaders."

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will hold a high-stakes summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore on June 12, following his meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27.

Earlier Friday, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington to exchange views on North Korea and other issues.

"It is obvious that denuclearization should be thoroughly verified. Minister Kang and Secretary Pompeo shared the view on the importance of a thorough verification," the official said.

The official also said Kang held a separate meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis and stressed that the stationing of U.S. troops in South Korea is an issue of their bilateral alliance but not one to be discussed with North Korea.

"The issue of U.S. Forces Korea can be discussed only if there is an upheaval in the security environment surrounding the Korean Peninsula. The immediate task is denuclearization and a peace regime," the official noted.

Asked about the timing of a possible trilateral summit of the leaders of the two Koreas and the U.S., the official said President Moon will have sufficient talks on that and other issues at his planned meeting with Trump in Washington on May 22. (Yonhap)