Pompeo: Sanctions Against Pyongyang to Continue Until Complete Denuclearization of North Korea

Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, emphasized after his visit to North Korea and meetings with his counterparts from South Korea and Japan in Tokyo that sanctions against Pyongyang will continue until North Korea is completely denuclearized. A day earlier, North Korea expressed regret over the negotiations with Pompeo. Pompeo's trip to Tokyo was to report on the outcomes of discussions with Kim Yong-chol, the Vice Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and one of the closest advisors to the country's leader. The U.S. Secretary of State stated, 'Sanctions will remain in place until North Korea's denuclearization is verifiable and complete.' During a joint press conference with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, he added, 'While we are encouraged by progress in negotiations, progress alone cannot justify a reduction in current sanctions.' Pompeo also noted that denuclearization of North Korea includes issues such as missiles and other weapons of that country. North Korea described the negotiations as 'regrettable,' while the U.S. termed them 'constructive.' Following Pompeo's visit to Pyongyang, North Korean officials labeled the discussions as 'regrettable' and accused Washington of attempting to exert unilateral pressure on the country. However, Pompeo characterized his meeting with Kim Yong-chol as 'constructive' and mentioned that 'very good progress' had been made in some areas. The North Korean Foreign Ministry stated in a release that they had expected the U.S. side to come with constructive measures to build trust in the negotiations, but the U.S. had made unilateral demands regarding complete and irreversible denuclearization, which contradicted the spirit of the negotiations between the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea. In response to the North Korean Foreign Ministry's statement, Pompeo rejected criticisms of Washington's demands, stating that these demands are the same as those put forth by the UN Security Council, referring to the resolutions and sanctions enacted due to North Korea's nuclear activities. The remarks from North Korean officials and their expression of 'regret' after Saturday's talks have been widely reported in the media, including in East Asia. South Korea's state-run news agency, Yonhap, reported that the North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson rejected U.S. demands regarding the process of denuclearization and reiterated the step-by-step approach that had been North Korea's previous request. U.S. officials have emphasized that they seek complete and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea within a specific timeframe before lifting sanctions against Pyongyang. The Associated Press noted that in the North Korean Foreign Ministry's statement, there was no direct criticism of Donald Trump, but it stated, 'We maintain our full confidence in President Trump.' At the same time, it was emphasized that Washington should not allow 'destructive winds' to affect 'the willingness of the leaders of the two countries.' NHK Japan reported that Tokyo, in the Sunday meeting, called for cooperation among Japan, the U.S., and South Korea to address other challenges, including North Korea's ballistic missile issue. The Chinese state newspaper, China Daily, stated that Beijing still considers 'the bilateral path' as 'the best possible way' and urges Washington and Pyongyang to meet 'halfway.' The Chinese state media's reference includes statements from officials, including the Foreign Minister, who said that the existing challenge on the peninsula is closely related to 'long-term threats against North Korea,' meaning that Pyongyang should receive comprehensive security guarantees in exchange for denuclearization. Meanwhile, U.S. media in recent days have reported on North Korea's 'covert' actions and attempts to 'deceive' Washington, and the U.S. State Department emphasized that Mike Pompeo is 'firmly' demanding the 'complete' denuclearization of Pyongyang. After the Sunday meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, Pompeo participated in a joint press conference with them. The foreign ministers of the three countries had a similar meeting in Seoul two days after the discussions between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un in Singapore. Pompeo's latest trip to North Korea was his third visit to the country, accompanied by a team of negotiators. The U.S. and North Korea agreed to move towards denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula following the leaders' meeting in Singapore in June.