Moon Jae-in: S. Korea Wants to Jointly Denuclearize Korean Peninsula With China

South Korea's newly elected President Moon Jae-in stated that South Korea wants to pursue the goal to denuclearize the Korean peninsula together with China, including resuming the six-party talks as soon as possible.

BEIJING (Sputnik) – South Korea wants to make joint efforts with China aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula, of which include resuming the six-party talks with world powers, country’s newly elected President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday in a phone conversation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

"South Korea wants to pursue the goal to denuclearize the Korean peninsula together with China, including resuming the six-party talks as soon as possible and other methods," Moon said, as quoted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s statement.

The Chinese president noted that denuclearization of the Korean peninsula was also a goal for China, adding that the country supported peace and stability in the region.

"We want to contribute to the peace and prosperity of the Korean peninsula together with other countries including South Korea," Xi said.

North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2005. China and South Korea, as well as Russia, the United States and Japan took part in talks with North Korea on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula from 2003 until 2009, when Pyongyang withdrew from the six-party talks.

Tensions surrounding North Korea's activities with both nuclear and non-nuclear weapons have drastically escalated in recent months, after Pyongyang conducted a number of nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches in violation of the UN Security Council's resolutions.