SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Thursday lauded United State President Donald Trump's recent congress address for displaying "strong determination" to resolve North Korean nuclear weapons issues.
In his first State of the Union address before Congress on Tuesday, Trump declared, "North Korea's reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland." He also said, "We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from happening."
Trump continued, "I will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations that got us into this dangerous position," and added that past concessions led to the North's aggression and provocation. He also referred to the North's dire human rights conditions, saying, "No regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea."
"We assess that (the address) once again issues the U.S.' strong determination for the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue," foreign ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk said in a press briefing.
"South Korea and the U.S. share the stance and position that they will forge ahead with all the available diplomatic efforts including sanctions and pressure in order to bring North Korea to the negotiating table for denuclearization," the spokesman noted.
"The countries are continuing their coordination and the latest address seems to have been made in that regard," Noh also said.
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