NK Nuke Envoy to Visit US Next Month

By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter

North Korea's chief nuclear negotiator, Kim Kye-gwan, reportedly plans to visit the United States in March, fueling speculation that bilateral dialogue between the two countries may take place during his stay.

His visit is regarded as a response to the trip to Pyongyang by U.S. special envoy Stephen Bosworth in December last year.

"I believe that the schedule for his visit has already been fixed," an unidentified diplomatic source was quoted as saying by Yonhap News.

Kim is currently visiting China and reportedly reiterated the North's stance that it would rejoin the denuclearization talks after the U.N. lifts sanctions on the secretive regime and the United States resolves the peace treaty issue.

The reclusive state has called for switching the present armistice into a peaceful treaty, calling it a hurdle to peace on the Korean Peninsula.

On Thursday, Kim had a meeting with Wu Dawei who was recently appointed as China's special representative on the Korean Peninsular Affairs to have discussions on pending issues, including the resumption of the six-way forum.

But he indicated that no progress was made, saying he had nothing to say about the meeting results.

He is expected to return home Saturday.

Meanwhile, member countries of the six-party denuclearization talks and even the United Nations appear to be stepping up efforts to bring the North back to the deadlocked meeting.

It's widely speculated that the Chinese official will make trips to South Korea, the United States and Japan in a bid to discuss the resumption of the stalled multilateral forum.

Additionally, U.N. Envoy Lynn Pascoe wrapped up his four-day trip to Pyongyang Friday after meeting with North Korea's number two leader, Kim Yong-nam.

According to the North's official Korean Central News Agency, he conveyed a verbal message and a gift from U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Details on the conversation have yet to be released but he is expected to attempt to persuade the North to return to the six-way talks.

Pascoe is scheduled to brief South Korean officials, including South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator, Wi Sung-lac, Saturday.

North Korea previously declared that it would boycott the six-way talks forever in retaliation for the U.N. sanctions adopted after the North conducted its second nuclear test on May 25 last year.

ksy@koreatimes.co.kr

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