U.S. Asks North Korea to Abandon Ballistic Missiles In Exchange For Guarantee of Security

The United States government is planning to ask North Korea to abandon not only nuclear weapon but also ballistic missile as its price for a guarantee of security, Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper, reported on July 10, citing words from an U.S. high-ranking official.

Even though the United States has asked North Korea to completely abandon nuclear weapons, it has not mentioned missile, not even at the third six-way talks in Beijing, until now.

“A previous guarantee of security to the Ukraine also did not become effective before all warheads and intercontinental ballistic missiles were removed to Russia,” the official said. “A guarantee of security to North Korea will become effective after its renouncement of all warheads and long-distance ballistic missiles.”

On the other hand, next working-level meeting of the six-way talks on North Korean nuclear weapons will be held after the end of August, Nihon Geizai Shimbun reported, citing a source in Beijing.

Won-Jae Park parkwj@donga.com