South Korea calls for North Korea's return to dialogue at ARF security forum
Manila, July 23
South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Thursday called on North Korea to respond to Seoul's offers for dialogue and join efforts to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula at a regional security forum in Manila, South Korea's foreign ministry said.
Cho made the remarks during the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), a 27-member multilateral security forum attended by the 11 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states and major regional powers, including the United States, China, Japan and Russia, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The ARF is the only regional multilateral security forum in which both South and North Korea participate, but Pyongyang was absent from this year's session for the second consecutive year.
Cho said peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula remain essential to the security and prosperity of the region, reaffirming Seoul's efforts to build a peninsula where the two Koreas can coexist peacefully and grow together.
"Such efforts cannot bear fruit through the will of one side alone. I hope North Korea would respond to our sincere efforts for dialogue and cooperation," Cho was quoted as saying by the ministry.
The minister also expressed hope that the ARF would continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Many participants expressed concerns over North Korea's continued development of nuclear weapons and missiles, while stressing the need for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and full compliance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, according to the ministry.
Inter-Korean relations have remained frozen since Pyongyang declared in late 2023 that the two Koreas were "two hostile states." The North has not responded to Washington's calls for dialogue while deepening ties with Russia and China.
Cho expressed Seoul's support for the Manila Plan of Action (2026-2036), which was adopted at the meeting and sets out the forum's direction for cooperation over the next decade.
The minister also reaffirmed South Korea's commitment to expanding its contributions to ARF activities, noting that Seoul will take part in co-chairing several ARF inter-sessional meetings, including those on counter-terrorism and transnational crime, the ministry said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's frustrating to see the same cycle repeat—North Korea develops weapons, faces sanctions, then goes into a shell. South Korea keeps asking for talks, but Pyongyang just deepens ties with Russia and China instead. The Manila Plan of Action sounds promising, but I wonder how effective it will be without North Korea's participation. The international community needs to put more pressure on the North, but in a way that doesn't escalate tensions further. From India's perspective, we understand the value of persistent diplomacy, but it has to be a two-way street.
Classic diplomatic choreography. South Korea says all the right things, North Korea ignores them, and everyone else just watches. The ARF is useful as a talking shop, but when the key player won't even show up, what's the point? As someone from the West, I see parallels with other global conflicts where one side refuses dialogue. The denuclearization goal is noble, but realistic? Probably not anytime soon. Kudos to Seoul for staying committed, though.
South Korea's foreign minister is absolutely right—peace can't be achieved by one side alone. North Korea's absence from the ARF for two consecutive years is worrying. They're isolating themselves further while cozying up to Russia and China. India has always supported peaceful dialogue and denuclearization, but we've seen how hard it is to deal with unpredictable neighbors. The key here is that the ARF provides a neutral space for discussion, which is valuable even if Pyongyang isn't listening right now. Let's hope they come around eventually. 🇮🇳🤝🇰🇷
North Korea skipping the ARF again? That's just spiteful at this point. They're obviously not interested in peace—just in rattling sabers
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