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Seoul to closely cooperate with China, Japan to tackle North Korea issue

By Jennie Oh
South Korea's National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon (L) meets Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) in Tokyo, Japan 13 March 2018. Suh recently met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and discussed the prospect of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Photo by EPA-EFE/KIM KYUNG-HOON.
1 of 2 | South Korea's National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon (L) meets Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) in Tokyo, Japan 13 March 2018. Suh recently met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and discussed the prospect of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Photo by EPA-EFE/KIM KYUNG-HOON.

March 13 (UPI) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in's special envoys visited regional leaders to rally support on tackling North Korea-related issues, following their meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Last week, Moon's security adviser Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon brokered a breakthrough agreement between Pyongyang and Washington to discuss denuclearization.

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Chung headed to Beijing to meet with President Xi Jin Ping on Monday, News 1 reported.

He shared the outcome of his meetings with the North Korean and U.S. leaders and reportedly delivered President Moon's invitation for Xi to visit South Korea.

Xi reportedly said he actively backs the effort to improve and reconcile relations between the South and North, expressing hope for a successful summit between the two Koreas next month as well as between the North and the United States in May.

The Chinese leader also reiterated Beijing's stance on supporting and playing an active role in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and resolving the North's nuclear crisis through dialogue.

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He called for stronger communication between the South and China in dealing with major issues.

Meanwhile, Suh held a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday, a day after meeting with Foreign Minister Taro Kono.

According to Suh, Abe expressed support for denuclearization talks between the North and the United States, emphasizing that Pyongyang should take "concrete" steps toward dismantling its nuclear program.

He called for continued trilateral cooperation between Seoul, Tokyo and Washington in resolving the North's nuclear issue as well as the regime's kidnapping of Japanese citizens.

In his meeting with the Japanese foreign minister the day before, the South Korean spy chief reportedly agreed to cooperate in resolving the abduction issue and that upcoming summits with the North must yield concrete steps toward denuclearization, the Nikkei Asian Review reported.

While Suh returns to Seoul, Chung is set to make a two-day trip to Moscow to consult Russian officials.

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