No End in Sight for Latest Korea Nuclear Standoff

A high-level South Korean official said yesterday there did not appear to be reason for optimism about an imminent solution to the latest obstacle to the denuclearization of North Korean, the Korea Times reported (see GSN, Aug. 20).

Pyongyang agreed last year to dismantle its nuclear sector in exchange for economic, security and diplomatic benefits from China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States.  It has taken several steps in that direction, but has reportedly balked at a U.S. proposal for verification of its nuclear activities and holdings.

“The U.S. and North Korea are consulting on the verification protocol, but it seems difficult for the two sides to reach a compromise soon,” the official said.

“But I don’t want to describe this situation as pessimistic since these kinds of difficulties are kind of ritual when it comes to negotiations with North Korea,” the official added.

Seoul hopes to see Pyongyang begin actual dismantlement of its nuclear plants — the third phase of the 2007 agreement —by the end of 2007, according to the official (Jung Sung-ki, Korea Times, Aug. 20).

South Korea intends to reduce the pace at which it is providing energy assistance to its neighbor until North Korea agrees to a verification plan, Dow Jones Newswires reported yesterday.

South Korean and U.S. nuclear negotiators agreed to the plan while meeting last week, diplomatic sources told the Yonhap News Agency.

North Korea has reportedly accepted some terms of the verification proposal, including interviews with relevant personnel, inspections of nuclear sites and sampling of some material.  However, there is not yet agreement on what equipment can be used during the verification process and the scope of sampling, according to Yonhap (Dow Jones Newswires/NASDAQ.com, Aug. 21).

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Chinese President Hu Jintao are scheduled to meet Monday to “mainly discuss North Korea-related issues,” an aide to Lee told Agence France-Presse today.

“We will ask China to play an active role as host of six-party talks for the thorough verification of North Korea's declaration and entry to the third phase of denuclearization,” the official said (Agence France-Presse/Spacewar.com, Aug. 21).

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