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Channel News Asia (13 July 2018)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday (Jul 13) urged North Korea and the United States to move forward on a pact to end Pyongyang's nuclear programme, as a lack of firm steps by the North raised questions about its commitment to its pledge.

South Korea is willing to build an economic community with North Korea once the effort to root out Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions is completed, Moon said in a speech during a visit to Singapore.

"If North Korea carves out specific implementation measures for denuclearisation and if South Korea and US respond quickly with corresponding comprehensive measures, the process will move faster," he said. 

"The Korean government will work to establish a peace regime as early as possible so that economic cooperation can begin."

He also urged North Korea and the United States to move forward on a pact to end Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

"If Chairman Kim (Jong Un) keeps the promise of denuclearisation, he will be able to lead his country into prosperity," Moon said.

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"This path is never easy, but if the agreements at the summit are implemented with sincerity, the goal can be achieved," he added, referring to Kim's meeting with US President Donald Trump at Sentosa last month.

"If North Korea gives more substance on the implementation of denuclearisation, and if South Korea and the United States quickly take comprehensive corresponding measures, the whole process will accelerate."

At the summit in Singapore, the two leaders pledged to work towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and ease tension between their countries, still technically at war, since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

Since the Jun 12 meeting, however, Pyongyang has yet to show any sign of concrete action to dismantle its nuclear programme that has brought a series of United Nations and international sanctions against the impoverished state.

But Trump on Thursday hailed "great progress" after disclosing a Jul 6 note from Kim in which the North's leader said their efforts could open up a "new future" for the two countries.

Moon said he believed Trump and Kim would eventually make good on the promise made before the international community.

"If the leaders do not honour the promise they themselves made with the international community watching, they will be subject to grave judgment," he said.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/south-korea-moon-jae-in-singapore-north-korea-denuclearisation-10526534