By Catherine Putz
The division of the Korean peninsula, Park said, is the “the last remaining vestige of the Cold War.”
President Park Geun-hye of South Korea, speaking at the United Nations General Assembly debate yesterday, cited the Iran nuclear deal completed this summer in urging the international community to focus on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue. In addition, she highlighted the need for regional cooperation in northeast Asia.
Park called on the UN to accord the North Korean nuclear issue the highest priority, “if we are to uphold the integrity of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and live up to the aspirations of humanity for a world without nuclear weapons.” North Korea, Park said, is “the last remaining non-proliferation challenge.” Park did not really comment on the specifics of the Iranian nuclear deal, saying only that a deal was reached and that North Korea should be the focus now. North Korea, for its part, has said it holds no interest in an Iran-style negotiations.
Park went on to state that North Korea’s recent provocations undermine efforts to restart six-party talks on denuclearization. In August, two South Korean soldiers were injured by North Korean landmines in the DMZ. In response, South Korea restarted broadcasting propaganda via loudspeakers along the border. Tensions culminated in an exchange of shells. On August 25, the two sides deescalated, meeting in Panmunjom for three days and coming away with an agreement in which North Korea expressed “regret” (but did not “apologize”) for the injured South Korean soldiers and the South stopped the broadcasts.
Read the full story at The Diplomat