This photo taken on February 2, 2017 shows the nordic skiing and ski jump venues for the Pyeongchang 2018 winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. AFP
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis spoke with his South Korean counterpart Song Young Moo over the phone and confirmed that the agenda for high-level talks between South Korea and North Korea scheduled for聽Tuesday聽will be only about the issue of Pyongyang鈥檚 participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
聽Mattis told reporters at the Defense Department that he understands North Korea鈥檚 nuclear and missile development will not be discussed in the talks.
聽鈥淚t would be if the other nations that are involved were in the room, but in fact they鈥檙e not. This is simply South and North Korea. And so the right countries aren鈥檛 in the room to go further,鈥� Mattis said, when asked if the talks are a missed opportunity to discuss security issues.
聽Mattis also said: 鈥淭here is not a one degree of difference on where we stand vis-a-vis the long-term defense of ROK, our ally, about the denuclearization,鈥� emphasizing unity between the two nations.
聽Meanwhile on the same day, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson showed a prudent view over the possibility that the planned talks with Seoul and Pyongyang would lead to talks between the United States and North Korea.
聽鈥淲ell, I think it鈥檚 too early to tell. We need to wait and see what the outcome of their talks are 鈥� Their intent is to talk about the Olympics 鈥� So, I think it鈥檚 a little early to draw any conclusions at this point,鈥� the secretary of state said during a CNN interview.
聽With regard to the possibility for talks with North Korea, Tillerson reiterated the U.S. position that the United States will never enter into dialogue with North Korea unless Pyongyang accepts its denuclearization.
聽鈥淥ur policy is the complete, verifiable, irreversible, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,鈥� Tillerson said.
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