S. Korean, French FMs hope for in-depth discussion in summits with N.K.

SEOUL, March 19 (Yonhap) -- The top diplomats of South Korea and France have exchanged views on ways to peacefully resolve North Korea's nuclear issue and expressed hope for in-depth discussion on the matter in the upcoming South Korean and U.S. summits with the North, the foreign ministry here said Monday.

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met with her French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian on Sunday (local time) and discussed North Korea's nuclear problem and other issues of mutual concern, according to the ministry.

They met on the sidelines of the European Union's meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels scheduled for Monday.

"The two ministers shared the assessment on the latest developments on the Korean Peninsula and had consultations on ways to successfully hold the inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korea summits and produce a peaceful resolution of the North's nuclear problem," the ministry said in a press release.

South Korea is preparing to hold a summit with the North in late April. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump accepted an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to a summit and proposed holding talks before the end of May.

The development was the result of a visit of South Korean presidential envoys to Pyongyang earlier this month, through which they met with Kim.

Kang, in particular, asked for France's continued support for South Korea's efforts to resolve the nuclear stalemate in a peaceful way and establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The French minister welcomed the latest peaceful mood and reaffirmed Paris' unwavering support for Seoul's North Korea policy.

He also emphasized the importance of global unity in maintaining sanctions and pressure against the North so as to force the reclusive state to take concrete denuclearization measures, the ministry said.

France is a major EU member state and veto-wielding permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, which has led the sanctions and pressure regime on Pyongyang by adopting multiple resolutions.

On the same day, Kang also met EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and exchanged views on the latest situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Mogherini highly praised South Korean President Moon Jae-in for his leadership in making a significant advance for peace and noted that the EU is ready to actively contribute to Seoul's push for a peaceful resolution of the North's nuclear problem, the ministry said.

kokobj@yna.co.kr
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