North Korea's Request to the U.S.: Take Peace Talks Seriously and End Sanctions

The North Korean government stated on Monday that its policy to improve relations with South Korea has broad international support and urged the United States to end sanctions and pressure against Pyongyang. According to Reuters, Ri Jong-hyok, director of the National Reunification Institute of the two Koreas and vice president of the North Korean Supreme People's Assembly, said his country seeks to 'build a new, peaceful world free from aggression and war.' Speaking at the General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union held in Geneva, he asserted that nothing can hinder dialogue and reunification between the two Koreas and added that recent actions to improve bilateral relations with South Korea have 'broad international support.' He further stated, 'Now is the time to end the unnecessary U.S. policies against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the pointless sanctions and pressures.' He emphasized that North Korea's consistent position is to resolve all issues through contact and negotiation, adding, 'The U.S. must understand our position well and seriously and constructively help maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.' After South Korean officials conveyed a message from the North Korean leader expressing readiness to negotiate with Donald Trump, the U.S. president also agreed to meet Kim Jong-un in May. The process of de-escalation began in January this year after North Korea announced it would send its athletes as part of a unified Korean team to participate in the Winter Olympics held in South Korea. Reuters reminds that last year, North Korea conducted several missile tests and its largest nuclear test in violation of United Nations resolutions, leading to heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea announced on Saturday that North Korea has agreed to hold talks to prepare for a meeting between the leaders of the two countries on March 29. However, Ri Jong-hyok, who met with parliamentary delegations from Syria and Mongolia on the sidelines of the Geneva conference, did not mention negotiations between the leaders of the two Koreas in his six-minute speech.