US, South Korea ready to engage North Korea: Obama
US President Barack Obama and his South Korean counterpart Park Geun-Hye have expressed willingness to "engage" North Korea.
“At the point where Pyongyang says, ‘We’re interested in seeing relief from sanctions and improved relations, and we are prepared to have a serious conversation about denuclearization,’ it’s fair to say we’ll be right there at the table,” Obama told a joint news conference Friday.
However, Obama said that North Korea should show willingness to stop its nuclear and missile programs that have "achieved nothing except to deepen North Korea's isolation."
He made the remarks after his meeting with Park at the White House during which he hailed Washington-Seoul alliance as the "lynchpin" of security on the Korean Peninsula.
The two leaders said that if North Korea wants to plan another nuclear test explosion or a rocket launch into space using ballistic missile technology, then “it will face consequences, including seeking further significant measures by the UN Security Council.”
Also, Obama said that North Korea and China should improve interactions, noting that “we want South Korea to have a strong relationship with China, just as we want to have a strong relationship with China.”
However, he made it clear that Washington expects Seoul to speak out if China does not comply with international rules, in a reference to alleged cyber theft by Beijing and China’s massive island-building in the disputed South China Sea.
The US does not recognize China’s sovereignty in the disputed waters and has sent surveillance aircraft and warships to challenge Beijing’s territorial claims.
Observers believe America’s efforts to increase its presence in the region is aimed at containing China’s growing power.
Beijing accuses Washington of meddling in the regional disputes and deliberately stirring up tensions in the region.
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