South Korean President Park Geun-hye met with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Friday on the first day of her visit to New York for the U.N. General Assembly.
Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, later hosted a closed-door banquet in Park's honor at his official residence that included World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, a Korean-born American.
No details of the meeting were immediately available.
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South Korean President Park Geun-hye arrives at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on Friday. President Park will participate in the 70th U.N. session of U.N. General Assembly to be held from Friday through Sunday in New York. (Yonhap) |
Cheong Wa Dae, South Korea's presidential office, said before the meeting that Park and Ban were expected to discuss a range of issues, including sustainable development, climate change and nuclear nonproliferation.
Park also plans to seek close cooperation from the U.N. for North Korea's denuclearization and peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, according to the presidential office.
The meeting came hours after U.S. President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held summit talks and reaffirmed their commitment to a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.
Xi also said he opposes any action that violates U.N. Security Council resolutions, in an apparent warning against North Korea over its possible rocket launch.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have flared anew after North Korea has vowed to launch a satellite, a move seen by Seoul and Washington as a cover for testing its ballistic missile technology.
There is speculation that North Korea may launch a long-range rocket in October to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party.
The North has also suggested that it may conduct a nuclear test in response to what it claims is the hostile policy of the United States and other hostile forces.
Park has also warned North Korea against nuclear or missile tests.
"Should the North go ahead with provocative actions that violate the U.N. Security Council resolutions, there will certainly be a price to be paid," Park said in a written interview with Bloomberg News.(Yonhap)
