Korea ready for fast denuclearization, wants summit with US: Moon
Seoul, Sep 20 : North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is ready to accelerate denuclearization in exchange for security guarantees from Washington and wants to hold a second summit with US President Donald Trump at an early date, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday.
"Chairman Kim expressed his wish to finish complete denuclearization at an early date and focus on economic development," Moon said of his meeting with Kim in Pyongyang.
Moon, who returned to South Korea after a three-day bilateral summit with Kim, said Pyongyang also wanted US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to visit again, Yonhap news agency reported.
Pompeo said earlier he was ready to restart negotiations, stalled since the first Trump-Kim summit in June. He said the aim was denuclearising North Korea "by 2021".
Moon said his government seeks to declare a formal end to the Korean War before the year ends and that he will bring up the issue when he meets Trump in New York next week.
The two Koreas technically remain at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended only with an armistice, not a peace treaty.
Moon said he also had an additional message from Kim for Trump. "Among what we discussed, there are items that we did not include in the joint declaration," he said, referring to his joint declaration with Kim issued on Wednesday in Pyongyang.
"I plan to deliver such messages in detail to the US side if I visit the country and hold a summit again with President Trump in the future," he added.
Moon will visit New York next week to attend the UN General Assembly. His office said he and Trump will hold a bilateral summit on Monday.
The items discussed with Kim but not laid out in the Pyongyang declaration included an agreement to hold talks between the countries' Parliaments, Moon said.
The South Korean leader's trip to Pyongyang was aimed at breaking a deadlock in denuclearization talks between the US and North Korea that came after Trump called off a North Korea trip by Pompeo.
Moon said he and Kim dedicated nearly the entire first day of his three-day trip to discuss ways to completely denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and restart the stalled North Korea-US dialogue.
"However, specific ways to denuclearize and corresponding measures basically are an issue that need to be discussed between the North and the US," he said, apparently renewing his call for an early resumption of the US-North Korea talks.
In his summit with Moon, Kim agreed to permanently dismantle his country's only missile engine test facility and launch pads in Dongchang-ri in the presence of international experts.
Kim also offered to dismantle the country's key nuclear facility in Yongbyon, provided the US takes corresponding measures.
Moon stressed the need for the US to take reciprocal measures for Pyongyang's denuclearization steps. He has already invited Kim to visit Seoul before the year ends. The North Korean has accepted the invitation.
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US lawmakers seek clarity over financial burden, human cost, endgame in Iran conflict
Washington: Tensions rose at the US Capitol on Tuesday as lawmakers sought clearer answers from the Trump administration on the objectives, duration and costs of the ongoing military campaign against Iran, even as preparations advanced for votes aimed at curbing the president’s war powers.
Senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, briefed members of the House and Senate for a second consecutive day behind closed doors, as reported by the Associated Press. The sessions came ahead of votes on war powers resolutions that would limit President Donald Trump’s authority to continue joint US-Israel operations without congressional approval.
Rubio told reporters that the president acted to prevent Iran from striking first. He rejected suggestions that Washington moved only because Israel was poised to launch its own offensive, saying instead that Trump believed the weekend presented a rare opportunity to act with maximum impact. “There is no way in the world that this terroristic regime was going to get nuclear weapons, not under Donald Trump’s watch,” Rubio said.
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The conflict has widened following US and Israeli airstrikes on February 28 that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since launched missile attacks targeting US military bases in the region. At least six American service personnel have died so far.
The administration has indicated that supplemental funding may be required to sustain operations. It added that the concerns among lawmakers about the financial burden and potential for a prolonged engagement has disrupted legislative business, sharpening political divisions at the start of a competitive midterm election cycle.
Associated Press cited Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s concerns about what he described as possible “mission creep.” Senator Angus King questioned whether the United States had been drawn into war at Israel’s urging, while Senator Elizabeth Warren asked how the campaign aligned with Trump’s “America First” pledge to avoid extended foreign conflicts.
Defence official Elbridge Colby told senators the president had directed the military to degrade Iran’s missile capabilities and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, stressing that the objective was not nation-building. Trump, speaking separately from the Oval Office, dismissed claims that Israel had forced his decision and suggested the conflict could continue if necessary. He has not ruled out deploying US ground troops.
Senator Richard Blumenthal was quoted by Associated Press as saying that he feared the possibility of American boots on the ground while Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin defended the operation, saying the president had acted decisively.
Uncertainty over Iran’s future leadership has added to concerns, with questions mounting about who might succeed Khamenei as Trump rejected the idea of backing Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Iran’s former monarchy. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the future of Iran should be determined by its people and House Speaker Mike Johnson said the United States would not engage in nation-building.
Lawmakers from both parties also reported a surge in calls from constituents seeking assistance for Americans attempting to leave the region as hostilities intensify.
The US Constitution grants Congress the right to declare war, however presidents have routinely begun military activities without formal declarations. Both houses are anticipated to vote on proposals that would require explicit congressional approval to continue operations. Some members have also argued that if constraints are not imposed, Congress should consider issuing an Authorization for the Use of Military Force to put lawmakers on the record.
Associated Press quoted House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries questioning the rationale for the campaign and saying there would be strong support among Democrats for the resolution. Johnson, however, warned that restricting the president during active combat could pose risks.
