WASHINGTON (Reuters) – North Korea\u2019s nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programs are an urgent priority for the United States and Washington remains committed to denuclearization of the country, the U.S. State Department said on Friday.<\/p>\n
The Biden administration\u2019s lack of direct engagement with North Korea should not be seen as an indication that the challenge posed by its weapons programs was not a priority, department spokesman Ned Price said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt in fact very much is,\u201d he told a regular briefing.<\/p>\n
North Korea continued to make progress in its nuclear and missile programs in recent years \u201cwhich makes this an urgent priority for the United States and one that we are committed to addressing together with our allies and partners,\u201d Price said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd … the central premise is that we remain committed to denuclearization of North Korea,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Price said the lack of direct engagement to date was \u201ca function of us making sure that we have done the diplomatic legwork, that we have been in close contact in touch with our partners and allies,\u201d aiming for a coordinated approach.<\/p>\n
The Biden administration, which took office last month, says it is conducting a full review of North Korea policy in consultation with allies, particularly South Korea and Japan, following former President Donald Trump\u2019s unprecedented engagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which failed to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n
A confidential U.N. report seen by Reuters on Monday said North Korea developed its nuclear and ballistic missile programs throughout 2020 in violation of international sanctions, helping fund them with some $300 million stolen through cyber hacks.<\/p>\n
President Joe Biden\u2019s top Asia official, Kurt Campbell, has said the administration must decide quickly on how to approach North Korea and not repeat an Obama-era delay that led to \u201cprovocative\u201d steps by Pyongyang that prevented engagement.<\/p>\n
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who discussed North Korea with his South Korean counterpart on Thursday, has said additional sanctions could be used in coordination with allies to press North Korea to denuclearize.<\/p>\n
Biden called Kim a \u201cthug\u201d during his election campaign, and said he would only meet him \u201con the condition that he would agree that he would be drawing down his nuclear capacity to get there.\u201d<\/p>\n