US focused on using diplomatic, economic pressure

The United States is focused on diplomatic and economic pressure to denuclearize North Korea, the acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea said Monday, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to its security alliance with Seoul.

"Together we and the Republic of Korea (ROK) are facing the most acute threat which is North Korea, and the threats posed by North Korea's unlawful ballistic missile and nuclear programs are grave," Marc Knapper, acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea, said in a speech to the first ROK-US Joint Public-Private Economic Forum.

"Our administration in Washington had made it very clear that we seek a peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Knapper said. "We are working closely with our partners in Seoul, Tokyo and elsewhere to apply the maximum diplomatic, political and economic pressure on North Korea. These are tools we are very focused on using in close cooperation with allies."

   Referring to the planned visit to South Korea later this week by the Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford, the acting ambassador said the officials will send out messages on "the strength and enduring vitality" of the U.S.-ROK alliance.

"We see this alliance as a linchpin of U.S. foreign policy and security policy in the Asia-Pacific region and our commitment to this alliance remains ironclad," he said. "This is the message as well when President Trump comes to visit (South Korea in November)."

   Knapper also touched on the ongoing talks on the free trade agreement between the two countries.

"We do have a serious deficit with the ROK," he said. "In fact, it has doubled since the agreement took effect. And we are looking for ways we can improve this agreement to make it more fair and balanced."

Source : Yonhap