The State Department said Friday that North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs are a top priority for the United States and that Washington remains committed to the country’s denuclearization.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said the Biden administration’s lack of direct engagement with North Korea should not be taken as an indication that the challenges posed by its weapons program are not a priority. “That’s exactly what happened,” he said at a regular press conference.
Price said North Korea’s continued progress on its nuclear and missile programs in recent years “makes it a top priority for the United States and one that we are committed to addressing with our allies and partners.”
He said, “And …… centered on our continued commitment to denuclearize North Korea.”
Price said the lack of direct engagement so far is “our function to make sure we’re doing enough on the diplomatic side and staying in close contact with our partners and allies,” with the goal of taking a coordinated approach.
The Biden Administration, which took office last month, said it is conducting a comprehensive review of North Korea policy in consultation with allies, particularly South Korea and Japan, following unprecedented contacts between former President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. It failed to convince Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons at the Time.
The Reuters report cited a confidential U.N. report that said North Korea violated international sanctions by developing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs throughout the 2020s and stealing about $300 million to fund them through cyber hacking.
Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, President Biden’s top official on Asian affairs, said the U.S. government must decide quickly how to approach North Korea and not repeat the Obama-era delays that led to “provocative” moves by Pyongyang that blocked engagement with it.
Secretary of State John Blinken discussed the North Korean issue with his South Korean counterpart Thursday. He said additional sanctions could be used in cooperation with allies to urge North Korea to denuclearize.
Biden called Kim Jong Un a “villain” during the campaign and said his meeting with him was contingent on Kim agreeing to reduce his nuclear capabilities.
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