BIDEN SAYS NORTH KOREAN ACTIONS ARE BLATANT VIOLATION OF SANCTIONS – Seoul pledged not to pursue a Nuclear Weapons Program of Its own
North Korea’s actions are a blatant violation of sanctions, U.S. President Joe Biden said at a press conference with South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The United States and South Korea are standing against economic leverage being used in coercive ways, Biden said.
The U.S. pledged to give South Korea more insight into its nuclear planning over any conflict with North Korea amid anxiety over Pyongyang’s growing arsenal of missiles and bombs.
The announcement, which included a renewed pledge by Seoul not to pursue a nuclear weapons program of its own, emerged from White House talks between U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol that covered issues including North Korea, chips and trade and the Ukraine war.
At a joint news conference, Yoon announced that he and Biden had agreed on steps to strengthen South Korea’s defences in response to the threat posed by North Korea.
Biden again reiterated the U.S. offer to North Korea to hold diplomatic negotiations over its nuclear and missile programs, an offer that has been ignored by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
North Korea’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment
