S. Korea, U.S. agree to additional efforts to cut off funds to N. Korea's weapons programs: nuclear envoy

▲ This file photo, taken April 6, 2023, shows South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator, Kim Gunn (R), and his U.S. counterpart, Sung Kim, posing for a photo prior to their talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons at the foreign ministry in Seoul. (Yonhap)

S Korea-US-nuclear envoys

S. Korea, U.S. agree to additional efforts to cut off funds to N. Korea's weapons programs: nuclear envoy

WASHINGTON, June 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States agreed on Monday to further strengthen their joint efforts to prevent funds from flowing into North Korea's illegal weapons development programs, South Korea's top nuclear negotiator said.

Kim Gunn said he and U.S. special representative for North Korea Sung Kim also highlighted the importance of making North Korea realize that its provocations will lead to consequences.

"(We) have agreed to strengthen our efforts to more definitely cut off funds to North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs," Kim said of his meeting with the U.S. special representative in Washington.

The nuclear envoys' meeting comes after North Korea's botched attempt to launch what it claimed was a military reconnaissance satellite.

"In a current condition when North Korea has announced plans for an additional launch of a so-called satellite, (we) reviewed and coordinated our countries' countermeasures against potential North Korean provocations," the South Korean nuclear envoy said while meeting with reporters in Washington.

"We must make North Korea realize that there is nothing it can gain through provocation," he added.

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