Sweden, Switzerland express willingness to send nuke inspection team to N.K.

SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Yonhap) -- Sweden and Switzerland have expressed their willingness to, upon request, send a team to inspect North Korea's possible dismantlement of nuclear and missile programs, a U.S. broadcaster reported Saturday.

After holding a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday agreed to permanently dismantle the country's only missile engine test facility and launch pads in Dongchang-ri in the presence of international experts.

Kim also offered to dismantle the key nuclear facility in Yongbyon should the U.S. take corresponding measures.

Welcoming the outcome of the inter-Korean summit, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter that Kim "has agreed to allow Nuclear inspections, subject to final negotiations," though it is not clear what Trump meant by nuclear inspections.

According to the report by Radio Free Asia (RFA), Vilhelm Rundquist, foreign ministry spokesperson of Sweden, said his country "welcomes the summit and the Inter-Korean dialogue. Regarding international inspections, Sweden stands ready to contribute with inspectors, if requested."

Sweden has had diplomatic relations with North Korea since 1973, and became the first Western country to establish an embassy in Pyongyang in 1975. The Swedish embassy represents the consular interests of Australia, Canada and the Nordic Countries.

The message from Sweden was echoed by Carole Wälti, spokesperson of the Swiss foreign ministry, who said, "If so requested, Switzerland is always ready to consider requests for assistance that could further efforts to build peace and stability in the region," the RFA reported.

graceoh@yna.co.kr

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