NEW YORK (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in sought to rally international support for his efforts to denuclearize North Korea and improve his country's ties with the communist state Monday in a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
"President Moon expressed gratitude to the UN secretary-general for expressing his support and urging international attention every time there is an important change in conditions on the Korean Peninsula, such as an inter-Korean summit, North Korea-US summit or reunion of separated families," Moon's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.
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President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York on Monday. (Yonhap) |
The meeting between Moon and Guterres came four days after Moon returned from his first-ever trip to Pyongyang for his latest and third bilateral summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
"President Moon explained the outcome of the third inter-Korean summit (in 2018) held last week in Pyongyang," Cheong Wa Dae said in a press release.
The South Korean president then asked for the UN chief's continued support, it added.
The latest inter-Korean summit was the third to be held between Moon and Kim. It was the fifth in history -- the first two inter-Korean summits were held in 2000 and 2007, both in Pyongyang, involving the then South Korean presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, respectively, and the North's late former leader Kim Jong-il.
Guterres commended President Moon's efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and establish permanent peace, and he said the world body will continue to work closely with South Korea to that end, Cheong Wa Dae said.
The U.N. chief also said he wanted to "further increase the cooperation between the United Nations and South Korea as South Korea continues to expand its role and contributions in the international community," it said.
Moon's meeting with the UN chief followed his bilateral summit with US President Donald Trump.
The South Korean president is expected to explain the outcome of his latest summit with the North Korean leader to the rest of the world when he delivers a keynote speech at the UN General Assembly meeting on Wednesday.
Moon arrived here Sunday. His four-day visit here will end Wednesday after his bilateral summits with the leaders of Japan, Chile, Egypt and Spain.
