# S.Korea calls for talks as N.Korea test fires missiles
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-08-17
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: South Korean President calls for genuine talks with North
Meta Description: President Yoon emphasises the importance of meaningful talks with North Korea towards establishing real peace in the region.
URL: https://financedigest.com/s-korea-calls-for-talks-as-n-korea-test-fires-missileshtml

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By Hyonhee Shin and Soo-hyang Choi

SEOUL (Reuters) – Talks with North Korea should not be for political show but contribute to establishing peace, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Wednesday, just hours after the North test fired two cruise missiles into the sea.

Speaking at a wide-ranging news conference to mark his first 100 days in office, Yoon made no mention of the launches, which were only publicly reported later by the South Korean military.

Yoon repeated his willingness to provide phased economic aid to North Korea if it ended [nuclear weapons development](https://www.financedigest.com/edf-edison-ansaldo-team-up-to-develop-nuclear-power-in-europe.html "EDF, Edison, Ansaldo team up to develop nuclear power in Europe") and began denuclearisation, noting that he had called for a dialogue with Pyongyang since his campaign.

Any dialogue between the leaders of the [South and North](https://www.financedigest.com/the-north-heads-south-to-mipim-en-masse-to-corner-new-real-estate-business-opportunities.html "The North heads South to MIPIM en masse to corner new real estate business opportunities"), or negotiations between working-level officials, should not be a political show, but should contribute to establishing substantive peace on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia,” he said.

The comments were an apparent criticism of summits involving his predecessor Moon Jae-in, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and then-U.S. [President Donald Trump](https://www.financedigest.com/over-a-third-of-uk-people-think-thomas-whitmore-from-independence-day-will-be-joined-by-donald-trump-in-disneys-hall-of-presidents.html "Over a third of UK people think Thomas Whitmore from Independence Day will be joined by Donald Trump in Disney’s Hall of Presidents").

Despite those meetings, denuclearisation [talks stalled in 2019 and North](https://www.financedigest.com/top-north-east-financial-adviser-firm-talks-corporation-tax.html "Top North East financial adviser firm talks corporation tax") Korea has said it will not trade away its self-defence, though it has called for an end to sanctions. It has been observed [preparing for a possible](https://www.financedigest.com/explainer-how-wall-street-is-preparing-for-possible-us-debt-default.html "Explainer-How Wall Street is preparing for possible US debt default") nuclear test, which would be its first since 2017.

North Korea’s launches on [Wednesday were the first reported in months, and come a day after South Korea and the United States began preliminary joint drills ahead of a restart of live](https://www.financedigest.com/pensions-awareness-day-could-you-get-by-on-less-than-living-wage.html "Pensions Awareness Day: Could you get by on less than living wage? ") field training halted under Moon.

Yoon said South Korea was not in a position to guarantee the North’s security if it gave up its nuclear weapons, but Seoul did not want a forced [change in the status quo](https://www.financedigest.com/pelosi-praises-taiwan-says-asian-trip-wasnt-to-change-status-quo.html "Pelosi praises Taiwan, says Asian trip wasn’t to change status quo") in the North.

The North’s [recent missile tests and nuclear development](https://www.financedigest.com/automotive-hmi-system-market-recent-industry-developments-and-growth-strategies-adopted-by-players.html "Automotive HMI System Market: Recent Industry Developments and Growth Strategies Adopted by Players") has revived debate over whether the South should pursue its own nuclear weapons. Yoon said that he was committed to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and working with the United States to boost its “extended deterrence” for [South Korea](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-asks-for-south-korea-cybersecurity-aid-amid-russia-invasion.html "Ukraine asks for South Korea cybersecurity aid amid Russia invasion").

“The NPT should not be abandoned and I will adhere to that until the end,” he said.

LABOUR STRIFE

Facing falling poll numbers and controversies over his [picks for top](https://www.financedigest.com/hsbc-ups-price-targets-on-greek-banks-with-eurobank-piraeus-top-picks.html "HSBC ups price targets on Greek banks, with Eurobank, Piraeus top picks") ministers, Yoon was pressed by media on a range of issues including labour reform, housing shortages, and recovery from recent floods.

Since Yoon came to office in May, two strikes have [cost industry more than $1.6 billion](https://www.financedigest.com/australias-nuclear-submarine-plan-to-cost-up-to-245-billion-by-2055-defence-official.html "Australia’s nuclear submarine plan to cost up to 5 billion by 2055 -defence official"), according to labour ministry and shipbuilder estimates, although neither involved a government suppression before ending.

The president said he would always allow time for dialogue and compromise before suppressing an illegal strike.

Yoon [called for ending discrepancies between “workers who do the same job”](https://www.financedigest.com/ford-to-make-call-on-europe-job-cuts-by-mid-feb-as-buyers-circle-german-site.html "Ford to make call on Europe job cuts by mid-Feb as buyers circle German site"), such as between direct hires and contract workers, without elaborating on how.

[UKRAINE AID](https://www.financedigest.com/g7-offers-9-5-billion-new-aid-for-ukraine-ready-with-more.html "G7 offers .5 billion new aid for Ukraine, ready with more")

He also touted major weapons [sales including](https://www.financedigest.com/stanchart-weighing-options-including-sale-of-aircraft-lessor-unit.html "StanChart weighing options, including sale, of aircraft lessor unit") a deal last month with NATO-member Poland involving more than 1,600 tanks and howitzers, and nearly 50 fighter jets.

He declined, however, to [say whether his government would change its policy of not directly providing lethal aid to Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/south-korea-has-not-supplied-lethal-weapons-to-ukraine-president-says.html "South Korea has not supplied lethal weapons to Ukraine, president says").

While it’s difficult to elaborate here on the [issue of supplying](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-j-d-wetherspoon-returns-to-profit-as-supply-issues-ease.html "UK’s J D Wetherspoon returns to profit as supply issues ease") military support, we will help the Ukrainian people recover freedom and rebuild the destroyed national assets swiftly,” Yoon said.

He said he believed that historical disputes with Japan dating back to its colonial occupation of the Korean peninsula from 1910-1945 could be overcome and that the two [countries needed](https://www.financedigest.com/5-countries-you-need-to-have-an-offshore-account-in.html "5 Countries You Need To Have An Offshore Account In") to cooperate more closely on supply chain and economic security.

(Reporting by Josh Smith, Hyonhee Shin, Soo-hyang Choi, Joori Roh and Joyce Lee; Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by Richard Pullin, Stephen Coates and Gerry Doyle)


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