According to South Korean Prime Minister Chung Un Chan, “If North Korea returns to the Six Party Talks, we will negotiate plans for the Grand Bargain with related countries.”
Speaking at a National Assembly hearing on the administration’s activities related to foreign affairs, unification, national security and economic issues, Prime Minister Chung also remarked, “Taking part in the Six-Party Talks is more beneficial for North Korea than being absent from them.”
However, to the question of when the Talks might resume, Chung was unable to speculate. “Because North Korea demands unacceptable conditions,” he said, “it is hard to predict when they will resume.”
He continued, however, “As the chair country, China is making an effort to reconvene the Six-Party Talks as soon as possible. Kim Jong Il’s visit to China could influence the Talks and denuclearization positively.”
Regarding the incumbent administration’s policy on North Korea, Prime Minister Chung went on, “The administration is dealing with North Korea on the basis of the most important principle, that of denuclearization. Our administration will start negotiating the peace treaty according to the September 19 Joint Statement as and when North Korea returns to the Six-Party Talks and denuclearizes.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung Hwan also spoke about the Six-Party Talks at a general meeting of the Diplomacy, Commerce and Unification Committee of the National Assembly this morning, saying, “For now, it is hard to know when the Six-Party Talks will resume.”
He reminded the Committee, “While the countries in the Six-Party Talks framework, including South Korea and the U.S., have strived for the rapid resumption of the Talks, North Korea has been demanding that the UN Security Council sanctions be lifted as a condition for returning to the negotiating table.”
