Seoul:South Korea's deputy nuclear envoy met with the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) deputy director general in Seoul to discuss cooperation on North Korean nuclear issues, as reported by Seoul's foreign ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Jeong Yeon-doo, South Korea's vice foreign minister for diplomatic strategy and intelligence, informed Massimo Aparo, IAEA deputy director general and head of its safeguards department, about the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and South Korea's initiatives for peaceful coexistence with North Korea.
Jeong highlighted the IAEA's role in drawing international focus to the North Korean nuclear issue through various reports issued by the IAEA director general. In response, Aparo expressed support for South Korea's diplomatic initiatives to enhance peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. He emphasized the significance of the North Korean nuclear issue within the IAEA's agenda.
Aparo further elaborated on the IAEA's efforts to maintain enhanced readiness for verifying North Korea's nuclear program. Both parties agreed to bolster communication and cooperation regarding the North Korean nuclear issue.
The IAEA has faced challenges in monitoring North Korea's nuclear activities, as it has not had inspectors in the country since Pyongyang ended cooperation and expelled them in 2009. North Korea's withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 2003 further complicated monitoring efforts. The agency has been unable to perform on-site verification of North Korea's nuclear activities since then.