South Korean Official Frustrated by Disarmament Delay

Lack of movement by North Korea on meeting its nuclear disarmament commitments is creating frustration in Seoul and Washington, top South Korean negotiator Chun Young-woo said yesterday (see GSN, April 23).

“We shared some frustration that we are stuck.  But we look forward to some progress,” Chun said following a meeting in Washington with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill.

Chun could not say how long the two governments would wait for North Korea to begin taking action under a Feb. 13 agreement reached during six-party talks, the Associated Press reported.

The deal obligated Pyongyang by April 14 to shut down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor and to allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors back into the country to confirm the closing.  None of that has occurred, as North Korea has demanded first that it receive $25 million in frozen funds from Banco Delta Asia in Macau.

U.S. officials say the money is available, but North Korea has yet to collect the funds.

“There’s not an infinite amount of time,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.  “But it’s clear that the North Koreans are working with their bankers to conclude this particular episode.”

“We are willing to give it some time in order for these things to work themselves out,” he added (Associated Press/International Herald Tribune, April 23).

“Technical issues” are holding up withdrawal of the money, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said today.  “The question is how and by what way can the D.P.R.K. get the money and realize the normal transfer of the funds,” he said (Agence France-Presse/Spacewar.com, April 24).

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