"At the point where Pyongyang says, 'We're interested in seeing relief from sanctions and improved relations, and we are prepared to have a serious conversation about denuclearization,' I think it's fair to say we'll be right there at the table," Obama said at a joint news conference with South Korean President Park Geun-hye.
Obama urged Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear and missile programs, saying they have "achieved nothing except to deepen North Korea's isolation." He also said that any provocation or aggression will be met by a 'strong, united response' from South Korea and the United States.
US president also said the North's 'byeongjin' policy of simultaneously pursuing economic and nuclear development won't work. "Pyongyang needs to understand it will not achieve the economic development it seeks so long as it clings to nuclear weapons," he said.
Obama said the alliance between the two countries is stronger than ever. He said the alliance remains the 'linchpin' of peace and security not only on the Korean Peninsula, but also in the region and that he sees no cracks at all in the alliance.
The summit came after Park's attendance at China's massive military parade last month raised questions about the health of the alliance, with some experts expressing concern that Seoul may be getting too close to China at a time of growing US-China rivalry. Obama rejected such concerns, saying the US wants South Korea to have strong relations with China. "We want South Korea to have a strong relationship with China, just as we want to have a strong relationship with China. We want to see China's peaceful rise. We want them to be cooperating with us in putting pressure on the DPRK," he said. "So there's no contradiction between the Republic of Korea having good relations with us, being a central part of our alliance and having good relations with China," he said.
YNA/MNA
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