Seoul nuke envoy stresses need to resolve N.K. issue through dialogue

South Korea's top nuclear negotiator stressed Tuesday the importance of resolving the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue and diplomacy, casting it a great challenge to international security beyond the Korean Peninsula.

Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, made the remark in a videoconference co-hosted by the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs and the South Korean Embassy in France, as he explained Seoul's efforts to help resume the stalled nuclear talks between the United States and the North.

"Ambassador Noh said in the keynote speech that the international community reaffirmed the shared commitment toward achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through the recent South Korea-U.S. summit and the Group of Seven summit," the foreign ministry said.

"He emphasized the importance of resolving the Korean Peninsula issue through dialogue and diplomacy," it said.

Noh also asked for France's continued attention to and support for Seoul's peace efforts, the ministry added.

Also attending the conference were Yoo Dae-jong, South Korean ambassador to France, and Pascal Boniface, head of IRIS, among other experts from both countries. (Yonhap)