The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Yu Myung Hwan said on Friday, “It is too early to doubt the effectiveness of the Six Party Talks.”
In a debate sponsored by the Grand National Party, Minister Yu said, “For now, we cannot say that the whole process of the disablement of North Korean nuclear program ended in smoke.”
He explained that, “It is the common opinion of the six parties that there has been substantial progress in the declaration of nuclear facilities and in the disabling of Yongbyon facilities, although the speed of the whole process fell sort of our expectations. The North Korean nuclear problem is a matter to be solved in diplomatic and peaceful ways.”
He added that, “The Obama administration also sides with our position to access North Korea within the framework of the Six Party Talks.”
Regarding North Korea’s refusal to allow sampling as part of the verification process, “The other five parties have agreed with sampling as a principle. It does not mean that we will collect samples from North Korean nuclear facilities right now.”
“In the near future, we will call a meeting and deal with the economy and energy aid as a chair country of the working group for the economic and energy aid,” he reveal an additional plan.
With respect to U.S. acknowledgement of North Korea as a nuclear state, he stated, “Being an acknowledged nuclear state is different from being a state that has produced a nuclear weapon. The U.S. has clearly stated that it could not admit North Korea the status of a nuclear state.”
He pointed out that, “If the U.S. accepts the North as a nuclear state, it will have to have arms reduction talks with North Korea. This is what North Korea wants and its tactic.”
