April 27, 2018

Castro Statement on Inter-Korean Summit

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today released the following statement:

“I welcome the Inter-Korean Summit between President Moon of the South Korea and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un which resulted in a commitment to peace and support for denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. Despite both North and South Korea’s support for it, we must continue to be clear-eyed about the challenges associated with achieving denuclearization and a meaningful and lasting peace. This marks the third Inter-Korean meeting, so we have a long road of earnest diplomacy ahead in order for this to fully succeed. We must also be wary of North Korea’s abysmal track record in previous summits and must ensure they are not seeking sanctions relief in return for empty promises.

“The upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit will determine whether this marks a true departure from Kim’s hostile behavior on the world stage and a sincere willingness to denuclearize and abandon all weapons of mass destruction programs. A comprehensive and meaningful breakthrough will require skilled diplomacy from President Trump and coordination with our allies in the region.”

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