Seoul: A regional security forum has reiterated its call for the "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula for the second consecutive year, thereby increasing diplomatic pressure on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear program. This declaration came as part of the chair's statement released after the annual foreign ministers' meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Manila.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the statement expressed grave concern over North Korea's ongoing development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. It emphasized the necessity for the full implementation of all relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions. The document also acknowledged international efforts aimed at achieving the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through peaceful means.
North Korea, however, remains steadfast in its stance as a nuclear power. The nation has enshrined this status in its constitution, established a nuclear doctrine, and shown no inclination to relinquish its nuclear arsenal. In a statement made in June, Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, declared the country's nuclear status as absolutely irreversible, describing it as a "line of no retreat" and asserting that any threats against it would not be tolerated.
The ARF stands as the only regional multilateral security forum that includes both South and North Korea. Despite this, Pyongyang chose to skip this year's meeting for the second year running, as it continues to strengthen its ties with Russia. The forum was attended by ASEAN member states and other countries such as South Korea, the United States, China, Japan, and Russia.
ASEAN is comprised of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.