North Korea abruptly withdraws staff from liaison office

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea abruptly withdrew its staff from a liaison office with South Korea on Friday, a development that is likely to put a damper on ties between the countries and further complicate global diplomacy on North Korea's nuclear program.

The North Korean action came a week after its vice foreign minister threatened to pull out of nuclear negotiations with the United States, citing a lack of U.S. steps to match disarmament measures it took last year. Her warning followed a U.S.-North Korea summit in February that collapsed due to disputes over U.S.-led sanctions on the North.

North Korea informed South Korean officials of its decision during a meeting Friday at the liaison office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong, Seoul's Unification Ministry said.

North Korea said it was withdrawing its staff under instructions from unspecified "higher-level authorities," according to a Unification Ministry statement. It didn't say whether the withdrawal would be temporary or permanent.

South Korea called the North's decision regrettable and urged the North to return its staff to the liaison office soon.

The withdrawal is a major setback for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has sought improved relations with North Korea alongside the nuclear negotiations between the North and the United States.

Moon's office said presidential national security adviser Chung Eui-yong convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council to discuss the North Korean withdrawal.

Moon says inter-Korean reconciliation is crucial for achieving progress in nuclear negotiations, but the breakdown of last month's summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has created a difficult environment to push engagement with the North. North Korean state media have recently demanded that South Korea distance itself from the U.S. and resume joint economic projects that have been held back by the U.S.-led sanctions against the North.

Read Saturday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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