[Yonhap News Photo]
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni vowed to cut off his country's security and military cooperation with North Korea in the latest increase in international diplomatic pressure exerted on Pyongyang over its nuclear program, a South Korean official said.
North Korea is under the toughest UN sanctions ever over its fourth nuclear test and its long-range rocket launch earlier this year. Still, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called his country a "responsible nuclear state" in the clearest sign yet that he won't give up its nuclear program.
"I have instructed officials to faithfully enforce the U.N. Security Council resolution, including disengagement from North Korea in the security, military and police sectors," Museveni said in a summit with his South Korean counterpart Park Geun-hye, according to South Korean presidential spokesman Jeong Yeon-guk.'
Museveni's pledge illustrates growing international pressure on North Korea over its defiant pursuit of a nuclear weapons program. He also sent a clear message to Pyongyang that Uganda is on the same page as South Korea and the international community, and not siding with North Korea.
Museveni's commitment "is expected to be a big help in convincing other African countries to enforce the U.N. resolution," said Kim Kyou-hyun, senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs.
Kim also described Uganda's disengagement as very "meaningful" as Uganda is one of the major African countries that has a close relationship with North Korea.
Uganda has been maintaining military cooperation with North Korea, and the long-time Ugandan leader has visited Pyongyang three times. Some 50 North Korean military and police personnel are believed to be working in Uganda, according to South Korea.It remains unclear whether Uganda will deport the North Korean personnel.
"Uganda appears to have made a strategic judgment that it should give more weight to substantial cooperation with us rather than military cooperation with North Korea as Uganda pursues a strategy for national development," said Kim.
Park is the first South Korean president who has visited Uganda since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1963.
(Yonhap)
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
