President Moon Jae-in met with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at Cheong Wa Dae for 30 minutes from two o’clock this afternoon. They had an extensive exchange of ideas on ways for Korea and NATO to work together to address global issues, such as counterterrorism efforts, and recent developments on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, including the North Korean nuclear and missile issue. His visit to Seoul is the second by a NATO Secretary General, following former Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s visit in April 2013.

President Moon began by asking Secretary General Stoltenberg’s impressions of his trip to the truce village of Panmunjom and the demilitarized zone today. The Secretary General responded by expressing gratitude on behalf of NATO to the countless troops he saw today working hard for peace both on the Korean Peninsula and in the rest of the world.

On that note, President Moon explained Koreans still carry painful memories of the Korean War, which caused millions of deaths and devastated the land, and that is why the Korean people adamantly insist the tragedy of war must never recur here on the Korean Peninsula. 

The President sought to ensure the NATO Secretary General’s full understanding of the urgency of the situation, saying even conventional weapons, rather than nuclear bombs and long-range missiles, could wreak havoc on Seoul, which is only an hour’s drive from the truce line. Thus, the North Korean nuclear issue must be settled without resorting to arms. 

President Moon expressed gratitude for the Secretary General’s prompt release of a statement denouncing North Korea’s missile provocations and for his continued support of the South Korean position. The President especially thanked the Secretary General for having stressed the necessity of seeking a peaceful solution while pointing out the risks that military action would entail. The President also said Koreans highly value NATO’s role in achieving peace in Europe with its strong deterrence and feel close emotional bonds with NATO member states for participating in the Korean War and providing their support. He expressed the hope for even greater cooperation between the two sides as global partners, including in the military partnership.

Noting that the North`s nuclear arsenal and missiles posed threats also to NATO member countries, Secretary General Stoltenberg said countries around the world had to respond with one voice. He went on to say that economic sanctions had to be imposed in addition to diplomatic and political pressures, underscoring that the purpose of sure pressures was to seek a peaceful resolution through diplomacy. He also emphasized the need to find a practical solution through dialogue and pressure. The Secretary General said that, together with the international community, he agreed on and supported President Moon`s determined and coherent approach for easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

President Moon noted that Korea and NATO have worked together to address various global security threats, despite the geographical distance, since 2006, when Korea joined the NATO global partnership. He added the two sides have already strengthened cooperation on the antiterrorism effort, which is well illustrated by the joint participation in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, as well as on cyber security and responses to North Korean provocations.

In reply, Secretary General Stoltenberg expressed his appreciation to President Moon for Korea`s involvement in the stabilization of the Afghan situation, an effort in which NATO has played a leading role to combat global terrorism. Commenting on the enhanced Korea-NATO exchanges and cooperation, he expressed the hope for expansion into such areas as WMD nonproliferation and disaster relief. 

President Moon said he thought highly of Korea`s cooperation with NATO, which also upheld the values of liberal democracy, helped end the Cold War, and promoted stability in Europe through strong deterrence. The President went on to express the hope the Secretary General`s visit this time would provide an opportunity to further bilateral cooperation. 

Finally, President Moon explained the importance of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter and Paralympic Games, which can help to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula and promote inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation. As such he requested NATO’s support.