South Korea, Australia urge DPRK to return to denuclearization talks

South Korea and Australia have called on North Korea to get back to talks on denuclearization without any preconditions, Report informs, citing a joint statement adopted after the negotiations between the foreign and defense ministers of the two countries in Seoul.

"The four ministers welcomed the commitment of the United States and the ROK in pursuing diplomacy with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and urged the DPRK to engage in meaningful dialogue without preconditions. Ministers also reaffirmed their ongoing support for dialogue and diplomacy, based on previous agreements such as the 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, Pyongyang Joint Declaration, and Singapore Joint Statement, and emphasized that these are essential to the complete denuclearization and establishment of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula," the statement reads.

The ministers reaffirmed the importance of all countries faithfully implementing relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The sides also agreed to strengthen partnership on various issues, including combat against the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, economic and trade rebound. They stressed the importance of close cooperation for expanded access to vaccines, reiterating their commitment to the collaboration in increasing their global supplies.

The ministers agreed to launch a political dialogue on information and space technologies, continue joint efforts to achieve the goals of every country in the sphere of carbon neutrality.