Moon, U.N. chief discuss Korea peace process, climate change

 South Korean President Moon Jae-in stressed the importance of the United Nations’ role in the Korea peace process, meeting with the leader of the international organization Monday.

As he had the talks here with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Moon recalled the U.N.’s adoption of an Olympic Truce resolution in November 2017 and a North Korea trip by U.N. undersecretary-general for political affairs Jeffrey Feltman the following month.

Those represented the “first step” that led the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic games to “historic peace Olympic,” Moon told Guterres, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Ko Min-jung.

Then, back-to-back talks between the two Koreas and the United States took place, with a third Pyongyang-Washington summit in the offing, Moon was quoted as adding.

The U.N. chief reaffirmed firm support for the Korea peace process.

He also pointed out that South Korea, China and Japan rely heavily on coal in their energy supply and requested that Seoul spearhead efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the region, Ko said.

Moon said South Korea had suspended the construction of a new thermal power plant with a plan to dismantle six existing ones by 2022.

Guterres said Seoul’s efforts will set a good precedent for other countries. Moon, meanwhile, reminded the U.N. chief that his government has provided North Korea with US$8 million worth of aid via the World Food Program (WFP) and the UNICEF and that it’s pushing for the provision of 50,000 tons of rice.

“We intend to further expand assistance in accordance with progress in denuclearization,” he was quoted as saying.

It marked the fifth meeting between Moon and the U.N. chief. Moon arrived here Sunday to join the 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly.