SEOUL, July 20 (Reuters): South Korea called Monday for a new push to restart dialogue with North Korea on ending its nuclear arms programme as Washington seeks to increase pressure on Pyongyang with punishment for its atomic and missile tests.
North Korea, which tested a nuclear device in May, has quit six-party talks that promised it massive aid and diplomatic rewards and said it will expand its nuclear arsenal as defence against a "hostile" United States.
The on-again-off-again talks involved the two Koreas, host China, Japan, Russia and the United States.
South Korea's top nuclear envoy said Seoul and Washington were on the same page on enforcing UN Security Council resolutions designed to cut off the North's lucrative arms trade but more needed to be done to bring Pyongyang back to dialogue.
"(As) you put it yesterday on the form of two-track approach, we have to think about resumption of dialogue as well," South Korea's Wi Sung-lac told US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, who is visiting Seoul.
Campbell said at the weekend the United States was ready to hold talks with North Korea if the conditions were right but will also press sanctions to punish Pyongyang for provocative actions.
S Korea pushes to restart nuclear talks with North
FE Team | Published: July 21, 2009 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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