Seoul echoes call for ‘unconditional’ North Korea talks

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myung-gyon on Wednesday invited North Korea to engage in talks without preconditions, local media said.

His comments echo those of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday, when he called for negotiations without Pyongyang first committing to ending its nuclear program.

"North Korea should stop any further provocations and come out for talks without conditions," Cho told a gathering of diplomats in Seoul, according to a Yonhap News Agency report based on a government statement.

He said South Korea was seeking to solve the nuclear issue through peaceful and diplomatic means, the agency reported, adding that Seoul was pushing to restore communication and increase cooperation with Kim Jong-un’s regime.

The dropping of any conditions before embarking on talks has led to speculation that South Korea and the U.S. could be adopting a new approach after years of Pyongyang's defiance of UN resolutions.

The apparent change came nearly two weeks after North Korea said it had successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking anywhere on the U.S. mainland.

Among those present for Cho’s speech was the Chinese ambassador. President Moon Jae-in is currently visiting Beijing to meet China's President Xi Jinping.

China is the North's main backer and Xi has indicated he would welcome any move towards regional dialogue.

Later Wednesday, Russia welcomed Tillerson’s comments.

"In general, we can state that such constructive statements are much better than the confrontational rhetoric that we have heard so far," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to official news agency TASS.

He added that Russia had consistently urged against "absolutely counterproductive" provocations. "Therefore, such statements, of course are satisfying."

* Diyar Guldogan in Ankara contributed to this report.