[USFK Forums] N. Korea links U.S. troop removal to nuclear talks

[C. Y. Lee]

[Uploaded by C. Y. Lee, Friday, October 28, 2005] This is an alarming news to those peace-loving citizens in the Republic of Korea.
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Thursday October 27, 2:23 PM

North Korea links U.S. troop removal to nuclear talks

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Thursday the U.S. military presence in South Korea was a cancer, adding the withdrawal of American troops was needed to secure a deal at six-party talks aimed at curbing Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

The next round of six-party talks is scheduled for early November. North Korea has in the past attached conditions to implementing a deal such as demanding a civilian reactor up front before it scraps its atomic weapons programmes.

In a report in its official media on Thursday, North Korea said removing U.S. troops from the Korean peninsula was fundamental for progress at the next round, saying the troops were part of Washington's plans to take North Korea by force.

There are about 32,500 U.S. troops in South Korea. The North has demanded for years they be taken off the peninsula. Washington has pledged not to attack North Korea and is reducing its troop contingent but has no plans to pull out completely.

"Solutions to the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula, the issue of security and the issue of Korea's reunification depend on the settlement of the fundamental issue, i.e. the withdrawal of the U.S. troops from South Korea," the North's Minju Joson newspaper said in a signed commentary.

The newspaper said the troops had a "cancer-like existence" that disturbed peace and prevented reunification, according to a report carried by the official KCNA news agency.
Last month, at six-party talks in Beijing, North Korea agreed in principle to dismantle its nuclear programmes in exchange for economic assistance, security guarantees and greater diplomatic recognition. Washington and others said conditions, such as the civilian reactor up front, were not part of the outline deal.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it expected the next round of talks among the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States to start in the week of Nov. 7.