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Seoul, Beijing to press Pyongyang on nuke issue

Published: 17 Dec. 2009, 20:06

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, right, shakes hands with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, left, before their meeting at the presidential Blue House in Seoul yesterday. [Joint Press Corps]

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping agreed yesterday to step up joint efforts to denuclearize North Korea and stem climate change, Lee’s office said.

“For South Korea, China is not a mere economic partner but a very close partner in dealing with the North Korean nuclear problem and various other issues,” Lee told Xi in their one-hour meeting here, according to presidential spokesman Park Sun-kyoo.

The president noted China’s role as chair of the six-party nuclear talks, the main vehicle in efforts to dismantle the North’s nuclear program and break its diplomatic isolation.

“I think next year will be an important juncture in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue. I hope China will play a bigger role,” Lee was quoted as telling Xi.

In response, Xi, seen as a likely successor to President Hu Jintao, said South Korea also needs to push for inter-Korean reconciliation through dialogue and play a decisive role in resuming the six-way talks and improving the security conditions on the peninsula, Park said.

In a brief formal conversation at Lee’s office, the leaders also agreed to strengthen the partnership between the neighboring countries for the successful hosting of major international events, including the G-20 economic summit to be held in Seoul next year, the 2010 Shanghai Expo in China, and the 2012 Yeosu Expo in the South Korean port city.

Afterward, the two had a breakfast meeting for about 50 minutes in which they spent a relatively long time discussing green growth, shortly before Lee was to depart for Copenhagen to attend the U.N. Climate Change Summit. President Lee was quoted as saying that prospects for the global fight against climate change are not as dark as some advanced countries have forecast because related technologies continue to be developed.

He added the U.N. summit in Copenhagen may not produce a perfect agreement, but could serve as a good starting point.

Xi was quoted as telling Lee that China will actively participate in the world’s efforts against climate change, but that a forced limit on economic growth is not in its interest.

Yonhap