S Korea president calls for caution dealing with Korean Peninsula issue

South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks during the General Debate of the 72nd session of the United NationsGeneral Assembly, at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 21 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday advised caution for the handling of the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula, saying all endeavors are to prevent war.

"All of our endeavors are to prevent the outbreak of war and maintain peace. In that respect, the situation surrounding the North Korean nuclear issue needs to be managed stably so that tensions will not become overly intensified or accidental military clashes will not destroy peace," Moon told the UN General Assembly.

"We should all remind ourselves of what former U.S. President Ronald Reagan said: 'Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.'"

Moon made several pledges in this respect: "We do not desire the collapse of North Korea. We will not seek unification by absorption or artificial means. If North Korea makes a decision, even now, to stand on the right side of history, we are ready to assist North Korea together with the international community."

The spirit of the United Nations is to realize global peace through multilateral dialogue, and the Korean Peninsula is where that spirit is most desperately needed, he said.

"We need the United Nations to play a more active role on the Korean Peninsula. The most important role the United Nations is asked to play today is to come up with fundamental measures to stop the vicious cycle of increased provocations and heightened sanctions."

He urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to "immediately cease making reckless choices that could lead to its own isolation and downfall and choose the path of dialogue."

"I urge North Korea (DPRK) to abandon its hostile policies against other countries and give up its nuclear weapons program in a verifiable and irreversible way."

The efforts of the international community should be further strengthened, said Moon. "It has to strongly and sternly respond until North Korea gives up its nuclear program of its own accord. All nations must thoroughly implement the UN Security Council sanctions resolutions and seek new measures in case of any further provocations by the North."