[USFK Forums] US and new S.Korea envoy discuss North [Reuters]

[C. Y. Lee]

Uploaded by C. Y. Lee on Monday, March 6, 2006

US and new S.Korea envoy discuss North

Monday, March 6, 2006 56 minutes ago

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's new chief negotiator on North Korea's nuclear weapons programs met over the weekend with his the top U.S. envoy to the discussions about how to resume stalled talks with the North.

Deputy Foreign Minister Chun Yung-woo met for about an hour with Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, who was on his way home from a visit to Indonesia, a South Korean official said.

The talks came as U.S. and North Korean officials were set to meet in New York on Tuesday to discuss a U.S. crackdown on what Washington suspects are Pyongyang's illicit financial activities, including counterfeiting of U.S. currency.

"(North Korean envoy) Ri Gun has yet to meet with the Americans, so it would have been difficult to expect much substantive discussion (between Chun and Hill,)" the South Korean official said on condition of anonymity.

North Korea has denied involvement in any illegal activities and said the crackdown was an attempt to topple its leadership. It was unreasonable to resume the nuclear talks unless Washington ends the crackdown, the North has said. But Ri's visit to Washington has raised hopes among some analysts the North may be poised to return to the six-country talks hosted by its last major ally, China.

Chun took over as South Korea's chief envoy to the nuclear talks, which also involve Russia and Japan, last month from Song Min-soon, who moved on to become South Korea's chief presidential aide on national security.

Hill said in Jakarta last week the crackdown was aimed at crime and not the North, and similar U.S. actions have been directed at firms that had no ties to the North.

The six countries agreed in September that the North would dismantle its nuclear programs in exchange for aid and better diplomatic ties. Their last session was in November.

Mon Mar 6, 2:08 AM ET
[PHOTO: Unloadable] Kim Jong-hoon (R), South Korea's chief negotiator for the trade talks with the United States, meets his U.S. counterpart Wendy Cutler during preparatory talks in Seoul March 6, 2006. South Korea started on Monday its first preparatory talks on a free trade agreement deal with the United States, local media reported. REUTERS/You Sung-Ho