S Korea President’s envoys to visit Japan, US to discuss N Korea issue

Special envoys of South Korean newly elected President Moon Jae-in left Wednesday for Japan and the United States to discuss relevant bilateral and international issues, including North Korean nuclear provocations, local media reported. (Photo: 문재인/ Facebook)

TOKYO–Special envoys of South Korean newly elected President Moon Jae-in left Wednesday for Japan and the United States to discuss relevant bilateral and international issues, including North Korean nuclear provocations, local media reported.

According to the Yonhap news agency, representative Moon Hee-sang departed to Tokyo to hold meetings with Japanese top officials, possibly including the country’s prime minister, to talk primarily on bilateral relations, such as the issue of so called comfort women, victims of wartime sexual slavery, as well as North Korean nuclear issue.

Special envoy Hong Seok-hyun left for the United States, also planning to discuss North Korea and the upcoming meeting of South Korean and US leaders, the media outlet added.

“The most important issue, of course, is enhancing the countries’ understanding of the Korea-U.S. alliance and their joints efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue,” Hong said, as quoted by the media.

Another special envoy will depart to China on Thursday, and envoys to Russia and the European Union are scheduled to leave next week or later, the news agency added, citing the South Korean presidential office.

The situation on the Korean peninsula has grown increasingly tense from the series of missile launches and nuclear tests conducted by Pyongyang in recent months, all of which are claimed to be in violation with the UN Security Council resolution.