Diplomacy Intensifies on North Korea Nuclear Crisis

Nations involved in the six-party negotiations on North Korea’s nuclear program are staging a flurry of diplomatic meetings in hopes of reviving the stalled talks, Agence France-Presse reported today (see GSN, Aug. 23).

Another published report yesterday indicated that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il might visit China to discuss the nuclear standoff.

A “North Korea watcher” in China told the Yonhap News Agency that Beijing “has asked Kim to visit China as soon as possible, as it believes such a visit will help resolve problems” connected to Pyongyang’s July missile tests.

“The government hopes the visit will take place within this year,” the source said.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun is scheduled to travel to China in October for talks on the North Korea standoff and other matters.

“China is a key trading partner for us, which also plays crucial roles in helping peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and resolve the nuclear issue,” said Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon.  Roh also plans to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush next month in Washington for similar talks, AFP reported.

Song Min-soon, Roh’s chief security advisor, is scheduled to leave today for meetings in China, while U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill is expected in East Asia in early September (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, Aug. 24).

Chief Japanese nuclear negotiator Kenichiro Sasae met for two hours today in Seoul with his South Korean counterpart, Chun Young-woo, the Associated Press reported.

Chun offered a pessimistic take on the likelihood of a quick resumption of negotiations.  The last session occurred in November.

“It is very dangerous to keep the current situation as it is indefinitely,” he said.  “At this moment the prospects for the resumption of the six-party talks are very dark as North Korea shows no signs yet of returning.”

Sasae said it was not known whether talks might resume this year.  He and Chun discussed the potential for a North Korean nuclear weapon test, AP reported (Kwang-Tae Kim, Associated Press, Aug. 24).

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