Australian leaders cautiously welcome inter-Korea summit

CANBERRA – Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Friday cautiously welcomed talks between South Korea President Moon Jae-in and top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-un, praising them for entering into negotiation. 

"We welcome, with caution, these meetings and the remarks that have been made by Kim Jong-un," Turnbull told reporters. "This will be the beginning of steps that lead to denuclearization of the peninsula. That's everybody's goal." 

Kim Jong-un on Friday became the first DPRK leader to cross the border into the south since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. 

Earlier on Friday, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop held a press conference to mark the occasion. "It is the first time in 65 years that a leader from North Korea (DPRK) has crossed the border into South Korea. And it is the first time in over 10 years that the leaders of North (DPRK) and South Korea have met," Bishop said. 

"We see this as an opportunity for North Korea (DPRK) to demonstrate verifiable steps that it will take to denuclearization," he noted. "We await with anticipation the outcome of these talks." The two leaders were expected to discuss denuclearization and securing peace on the Korean Peninsula ahead of everything else. 
Bishop said she had a conversation with her South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha earlier this week, with the latter reassuring Bishop that denuclearization will be on the table of the summit. 

Bishop also said that she had a phone conversation earlier on Friday with newly sworn-in U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Inter-Korea talks were part of their conversation. Kim has already committed to suspending his country's nuclear and long-range missile tests as well as dismantling the country's only known nuclear test site. Enditem 
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