Talks on Korean Peninsula denuclearization pushed

Photo provided by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows a tactical guided missile launched during a firing drill in North Phyongan Province, North Korea on Jan. 14, 2022. (KCNA via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for diplomatic talks between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and all parties concerned toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The DPRK reportedly fired two short-range projectiles into the eastern waters on Monday, the fourth launch in less than two weeks.

Guterres’ spokesman, Stephane Dujarric said “there haven’t been that many periods, I think, in recent time where we have seen so many launches from the DPRK. And for us, it is just another reminder of the need for the DPRK and all the parties engaged to involve themselves, engage themselves in diplomatic talks so we can get what the United Nations would like to see, which is a very verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and, in the more immediate term, a lowering of tensions.”

Asked whether Guterres should reach out to Pyongyang, the spokesman suggested the existing mechanisms be used.

“I think there are existing mechanisms and existing lines of communications. And I think, at this point, these should be used, and the Secretary-General is very supportive of those diplomatic frameworks that already exist. But they need to be used,” Dujarric said.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday the South Korean military detected two projectiles, presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles, which were launched from the DPRK’s Sunan airfield in Pyongyang.

The DPRK’s Korean Central News Agency said last week the country’s railway-borne missile regiment test-fired two tactical guided missiles on Friday.

Pyongyang said it successfully test-launched a hypersonic missile on January 5 and a missile of the same kind on January 11. (Xinhua)