UN Chief Antonio Guterres calls for concrete action to follow up North Korea’s commitment to denuclearization

United Nations, September 20: With another historic summit between North and South Korea asserting on ‘era of no war’ and giving a nod to denuclearization, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for concrete action to follow up on North Korea's commitment to close a missile test site with international monitors present.

UN Secretary Guterres welcomed the announcement by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during a summit with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in in Pyongyang. North Korea also expressed readiness to close its Yongbyon nuclear plant, which is the key to its weapons program, if Washington takes "corresponding measures."

Guterres offered UN help to advance efforts to fully rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons and called for unity among global powers. "The commitments reflected in the joint statement include important military confidence-building measures and a commitment by the DPRK to dismantle missile engine testing infrastructure in the presence of experts from related countries," Guterres said in a statement. "Now it is time for concrete action."

The breakthrough at the Pyongyang summit came amid preparations for next week's annual gathering at the United Nations of world leaders, during which North Korea will loom large.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has invited North Korean foreign minister Ri Yong-ho for talks in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting. Pompeo said the talks in New York and meetings in Vienna will be the beginning of negotiations on the denuclearization of North Korea, to be completed by 2021.

Pompeo will chair a Security Council meeting next week on North Korea to discuss US diplomatic efforts that have undergone a major shift in tone from last year. However, the United States maintains that sanctions must remain in place until North Korea has fully dismantled its weapons programs.