Former UN chief Ban Ki-moon urges N. Korea to take concrete denuclearization steps

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to take concrete steps toward complete denuclearization if he wants sanctions lifted. The former South Korean foreign minister said on Monday “this is the time” to achieve Pyongyang’s denuclearization after nearly a quarter century of unsuccessful efforts, adding that the North and the world should not lose this opportunity. “I’d like to really advise the North Korean leader that the world is ready” to help his country, Ban told AP, specifically citing South Korea, the US, China, Japan and Russia. He said denuclearization is important for a better future for the two Koreas, including reconciliation and reunification.