East Asia Summit statement shows “serious concern” over N. Korea

November 22, 2017

Naypyitaw, Myanmar- The chairman's statement of the Nov. 14 East Asia Summit, released on Tuesday, showed "serious concern" over tensions that escalated following provocative acts by North Korea.

"Serious concern was expressed over the escalation of tensions in the Korean Peninsula, while some (summit members) condemned the ongoing development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile technologies" by North Korea, the statement said.

The summit, held in Manila, brought together leaders of Japan, the United States, China, Russia, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The statement "strongly urged" North Korea to immediately comply fully with its obligations under all relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

It then reiterated support for "the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner."

The leaders shared the view that the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, "could serve as a useful occasion to promote peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula."

On the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korean agents decades ago, the statement stressed "the importance of addressing humanitarian concerns of the international community."

Regarding the situation in the South China Sea, the statement said the East Asia Summit leaders "took note of the improving relations between ASEAN and China" and were "encouraged by" their agreement to launch negotiations on a code of conduct for settling their disputes in the South China Sea.

The section about the South China Sea issue was left blank in a draft statement dated Nov. 11. Jiji Press