Park calls for unified stance on N. Korea nuclear program

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- President Park Geun-hye urged the international community Thursday to take a unified stance on North Korea's nuclear weapons program in the latest pressure on the communist country to abandon its program. "The international community should respond with one voice and unified commitment on challenges caused by North Korea's nuclear program," Park said in a meeting with the parliamentary speakers of Mexico, Indonesia and Australia at Cheong Wa Dae, South Korea's presidential office. North Korea has defied international pressure to give up its nuclear program, viewing it as a powerful deterrent against what it claims is Washington's hostile policy against it. The three speakers came to Seoul for an inaugural meeting with their South Korean counterpart. The meeting is the first of its kind since 2013, when South Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey and Australia launched a cross-regional group, known as "MIKTA," created from the initials of their English names. Turkey did not send its delegation to the meeting as it has yet to pick a new parliamentary speaker following recent elections. Park also appealed for support from Mexico, Indonesia and Australia in South Korea's efforts to unify with North Korea, saying unification is the fundamental way to address security instability on the Korean Peninsula. The speakers of the three countries vowed to do what they can for the unification of the two Koreas. The 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, leaving the two Koreas still technically at war. Park also called for the three speakers' support to ensure MIKTA can help address such global challenges as climate change and cybersecurity. South Korea sees MIKTA as a middle-power cooperation model to play a bridging role between developed and developing nations in addressing global challenges. entropy@yna.co.kr (END)