US Emphasizes Commitment to Complete Destruction of North Korean Weapons of Mass Destruction

The US Secretary of State states that the government can 'change the course of history' and end the crisis on the Korean Peninsula, but an agreement with North Korea is contingent upon 'complete, verifiable, and irreversible destruction of Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction program.' Mike Pompeo, on May 1, participated in an oath-taking ceremony at the US State Department alongside Donald Trump and Mike Pence, the President and Vice President. Pompeo, who recently had a secret meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, stated, 'We currently have an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of history on the Korean Peninsula.' He added that regarding upcoming negotiations with North Korea aimed at denuclearization and possibly achieving a peace agreement between the two Koreas, 'we are in the early steps, and the outcome is not yet definitively clear.' The former CIA director and newly appointed Secretary of State emphasized that Washington is committed to an agreement with North Korea that 'guarantees the complete, irreversible, and verifiable destruction of its weapons of mass destruction program without delay.' Last Friday, the South Korean President and the North Korean leader met and, remarkably, jointly called for 'denuclearization' on the Korean Peninsula. North Korean state media also published articles and official statements regarding North Korea's 'commitment' to disarmament following that meeting. Some have suggested that the United States might withdraw its military forces from South Korea if an agreement is reached regarding the Korean Peninsula. A senior advisor to the South Korean President recently stated that the presence of American forces in his country would not be justifiable if a peace agreement with North Korea is achieved. However, the South Korean presidential office rejected these statements and speculations on Wednesday, stating, 'The government's position [in Seoul] regarding American forces in Korea is that they play a mediating role among the powers surrounding the country, such as Japan and China. This is the South Korean government's position that we need the US military forces.' Soon, Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un are expected to meet. The exact time and place of this meeting have not yet been determined. A potential dialogue between the two sides would be a historic event, as no sitting US President has ever met with a North Korean leader during their term.