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North Korean ambassador comments on Korean Peninsula problem

Pyongyang considers the improvement of relations with Seoul to be one of the 2018 priorities

MOSCOW, January 10. /TASS/. Representatives of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), known as North Korea, and South Korea should handle the issues between Pyongyang and Seoul, North Korea’s Ambassador to Russia Kim Hyung Jun said at a reception for the Russian media on Wednesday.

"Relations between the North and South are an issue within one nation and the Koreans are in charge of the issue," he said. "We must never forget that all the issues should be solved within the nation."

Pyongyang considers the improvement of relations with Seoul to be one of the 2018 priorities, he said. 

"Another important priority is to improve relations between the North and the South in order to reach a turning point in the fight for reunification," the ambassador said.

"This year will mark the 70th anniversary of our country’s foundation. It is also an important year for South Korea as they are hosting the Winter Olympic Games. So it is a significant year both for the North and the South," Kim Hyung Jun pointed out. "[North Korean leader] Kim Jong-un in his New Year address emphasized the importance of easing military tensions between the North and the South and creating a peaceful atmosphere. South Korea needs to abandon its military exercises with the United States and should not allow the US to deploy its modern weapons on the country’s territory. The North and the South should abandon activities that could raise tensions," the North Korean ambassador stressed.

Pyongyang will not be threatening other countries with its nuclear weapons but will give a resolute response to security threats in the region, he said. 

"As Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un said, under no circumstances we will use nuclear weapons unless our sovereignty is trespassed and we are under threat," he said. "However, we will vehemently response to security threats on the Korean Peninsula."