U.S. Official to Check North Korean Disablement

The top U.S. nuclear negotiator involved in a six-party North Korean nuclear disablement agreement plans to leave for North Korea Monday to examine progress in disabling the country’s Yongbyon nuclear reactor, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Nov. 27).

Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill would travel to Pyongyang after making brief visits to Japan and South Korea to discuss their oversight of the disablement effort, a high-level U.S. State Department official said yesterday.

North Korea invited Hill for his second visit this year as a deadline approaches at the end of this year for North Korea to declare all of its nuclear assets (Anne Gearan, Associated Press I/International Herald Tribune, Nov. 28)

Hill confirmed the planned trip to North Korea upon arriving in Japan today, AP reported

“We are making progress, and clearly we have more to do but I think we are on schedule,” he told reporters.

Hill said he plans to speak with Japanese officials today before traveling to South Korea tomorrow.  He then plans to visit North Korea from Monday until around Wednesday next week, he said (Associated Press II/International Herald Tribune, Nov. 28).

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