By Lee Hana
Photos = Cheong Wa Dae

President Moon Jae-in held a trilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in New York on Sept. 21. During the meeting, the three leaders stressed the need for the international community to enforce the strongest sanctions possible on North Korea.

"At this year's U.N. General Assembly, our three countries met with leaders of major countries at the bilateral level, explaining the urgency of carrying out U.N. Security Council sanctions against North Korea. Together, we stood with the international community, urging Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons. I consider this a meaningful outcome," said President Moon.

"Moreover, President Trump's executive order, through which the U.S. will implement sanctions against North Korea, and China's announcement to take action against North Korea, are moves that I'm confident will contribute to the complete denuclearization of the northern regime," he said.



Calling Pyongyang's sixth nuclear test an "intolerable, outrageous act," Prime Minister Abe said that in addition to the U.N. Security Council's most recent sanctions, "further efforts are needed." He said that President Trump's new executive order is a sign that, "We are entering a new stage, with the intention of exercising stronger and newer pressures."

"I offer my support for these new sanctions. Through these kinds of joint measures, we should move toward the complete abolition of North Korea's nuclear weapons, planning for the next action," he said.

"The new executive order I just signed today enhances the Treasury Department's authority to target individuals, companies and financial institutions that trade with North Korea," said President Trump. "Many countries are working with us to increase economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea, but I continue to call on those responsible nations to enforce and implement U.N. sanctions and to impose their own measures, like the ones I'm announcing today," he stressed.

hlee10@korea.kr