Pelosi vows support to denuclearise North Korea, plans to visit Korea border
SEOUL(REUTERS) 1. U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPEAKER, NANCY PELOSI, AND SOUTH KOREA’S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER, KIM JIN-PYO, WALKING IN 2. JOUNALISTS SEATED / PELOSI AND KIM STANDING AT PODIUMS 3. PELOSI SPEAKING 4. JOINT STATEMENTS IN PROGRESS 5. JOURNALISTS SEATED 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA’S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER, KIM JIN-PYO, SAYING: “We also discussed the North Korean nuclear issue. Both sides expressed concerns about the dire situation of North Korea’s growing threat. We agreed to support the efforts of the two governments to achieve practical denuclearisation and peace through international cooperation and diplomatic dialogue, based on the strong and extended deterrence against the North that our people can actually feel.” 7. PELOSI SPEAKING, KIM LISTENING 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPEAKER, NANCY PELOSI, SAYING: “The U.S.-Korea relationship is very strong and we learn from each other. On our trips, we come and talk about security and we thank our men and women in uniform for the contribution they make to security. But we also come to say to you that a friendship, a relationship that began from urgency and security many years ago has become the warmest of friendships. And we want to advance security, economy and governance in an inter-parliamentary way.“ 9. PELOSI AND KIM AT PODIUMS 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPEAKER, NANCY PELOSI, SAYING: “We want to strengthen that inter-parliamentary role as we work together as countries. I do want to say that it is a matter of special pride to us in the Congress, on our previous visit, well it was pre-COVID, 2015, we were able to take pride in passing the legislation, in the Congress relating to the comfort women legislation.” 11. PELOSI SPEAKING 12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPEAKER, NANCY PELOSI, SAYING: “So when we talk about security, we know what that is. When we talk about economics, that’s clear. When we talk about governance, it’s many things. It’s shared values, it’s about fighting the pandemic, it’s about saving the planet, so many things to discuss, so much opportunity, better served by our discussion in (an) inter-parliamentary way.” 13. PELOSI WALKING AWAY WITH KIM 14. ATTENDEES POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS 15. VARIOUS OF PELOSI AND KIM POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS 16. PELOSI AND KIM LEAVING STORY: U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her South Korean counterpart vowed on Thursday (August 4) to support efforts to maintain a strong deterrence against North Korea and achieve its denuclearisation. A joint statement was issued after Pelosi met South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo in Seoul, during which they expressed concerns over the North’s evolving nuclear and missile threats. Pelosi arrived in South Korea late on Wednesday (August 3) following a brief stop in Taiwan, and met U.S. embassy officials in Seoul earlier on Thursday before talks with Kim and other lawmakers. Later on Thursday, Pelosi plans to visit the Joint Security Area near the heavily fortified inter-Korean border, patrolled together by American-led U.N. Command and North Korea, a South Korean official said.
