By Kim Young-jin
The United States is open to more talks with North Korea but the isolated state must show it is ready to act responsibly first, a visiting U.S. official said Wednesday.
Glyn Davies, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, told reporters upon arriving here that Pyongyang should live up to its obligations under U.N. Security Council resolutions before a fresh round of dialogue, adding that Washington was waiting for a response from the communist state.
The remarks came as both Seoul and Washington weigh whether to hold another round of talks with Pyongyang in a bid to kick-start the stalled six-party talks on its denuclearization. The sides held talks in July and October but have yet to agree with the North on what steps it should take before they resume.
Davies, who was recently tapped for the post, said he would focus on hearing Seoul’s opinions on the North Korea nuclear problem before heading off to Japan and China to complete his nine day trip.
The former top envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency will meet will meet today with Lim Sung-nam, Seoul’s point man to the stalled six-party talks. He will also meet with Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan and Unification Minister Yu Woo-ik.
He will be accompanied by Clifford Hart, the U.S. special envoy to the talks.
The North walked away from the talks, which also include Japan, Russia and China, in 2009 in response to international sanctions for its nuclear and missile tests.
Analysts expect regional players to eventually resume the forum that seeks to swap dismantlement of the North’s nuclear weapons program in exchange for economic and energy assistance. But bullish predictions on when that could happen have been tempered by the reclusive state’s unwillingness to take concrete denuclearization steps.
The allies want the North to shut down its uranium enrichment program (UEP) in a verifiable manner, but Pyongyang says the talks should start again without preconditions.
The North recently claimed its UEP and construction of an experimental light-water reactor were progressing smoothly, casting doubt on hopes for a timely resumption.
“A third round would be expected to go beyond the first two,” said Yoo Ho-yeol, a North Korea watcher at Korea University. “So Seoul and Washington need some more time to adjust their stance or they have to wait for North Korea to assume a more flexible attitude.”
Analysts say the North is desperate to secure food aid ahead of next year, when it has promised to emerge as a “strong and prosperous” nation in time for the 100th anniversary of the birth of its founder, Kim Il-sung.
The other parties see the forum as a way to manage tensions in the economically vibrant region.
This is especially true next year, when Seoul and Washington will hold presidential elections. Analysts also suggest that a tricky power handoff underway from North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to his youngest son could be accompanied by military provocations.
Tension is still running high after the North twice attacked the South last year, killing a total of 50.
Meanwhile, Derek Mitchell, Washington’s special representative for Myanmar, arrived for talks to brief Seoul officials on U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Myanmar last week.
Seoul is said to be trying to warm ties with the resource-rich country after its recent democratic reforms. Officials say it will resume development assistance to the Southeast Asian country, halted in 2005 over the regime’s repression of human rights.