[The presidential Blue House]
SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Aju News) -- President Moon Jae-in welcomed the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue but he promised to push for a true thaw in frosty ties with North Korea only after there are signs of progress in denuclearization.
In his first news conference this year, Moon said the two Koreas took the first step to restore a stalled channel of dialogue with an agreement to reactivate cooperation and exchanges through diverse levels of talks, including military talks on easing tensions.
In their first dialogue in nearly two years at the border village of Panmunjom on Tuesday, North Korea agreed to send athletes, high-ranking officials, cheerleaders, performing artists and a taekwondo demonstration team to South Korea.
"I think we've made a good start," Moon said, describing North Korea's participation in next month's Winter Olympic as "highly desirable".
The president said he would keep open the door for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un if it is needed to improve cross-border relations and curb the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
Otherwise, Moon said he would maintain his two-track approach to improve inter-Korean relations and realize denuclearization together. "These two are not separate issues."
U.S.-led international pressure and sanctions appeared to have paid off, the president said, adding South Korea would not go its own way for any dramatic rapprochement with North Korea.
"The goal of sanctions and pressure is to bring North Korea to the dialogue table," Moon said, suggesting any fresh provocations by North Korea would lead to stronger international sanctions.
Moon showed a firm stance over a 2015 deal with Japan, urging Tokyo to make a heartfelt apology to former "comfort women" sexually enslaved by Japan's imperial army during World War II.
"I think the victims will forgive and this issue can be completely resolved when Japan accepts the truth, make a heartfelt apology to the victims, learn lessons and cooperate with the international community in preventing recurrence of such a thing," he said.
On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha ruled out negotiations but said South Korea would use its own money to replace Japan's donation of one billion yen ($8.7 million) to a foundation dedicated to supporting "comfort women".
For decades, Seoul and Tokyo have been locked in a lingering row over comfort women, school textbooks and other emotional issues related to Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula. Historians estimate that up to 200,000 women were forced to work in front-line brothels for Japanese troops.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
