NK, US move forward on nuke deal

By Kim Young-jin

North Korea and the United States inched closer Tuesday to implementing a nuclear deal as Pyongyang hinted it would soon allow U.N. inspectors back into its main Yongbyon plant.

Washington meanwhile said food aid would be delivered to the impoverished state “as soon as possible” in agreement made last month that is said to open the door for multilateral negotiations over the North’s nuclear program.

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho was bullish on the timeline for implementation of the deal which would require Pyongyang to freeze its uranium enrichment activities at Yongbyon under monitoring from the International Atomic Energy Agency and halt any nuclear testing.

"I think (the deal) will be implemented in the near future. Concrete measures are being constantly taken to fulfill the February agreement," he told reporters during a trip to New York to attend an academic forum.

Washington and Seoul see the implementation of the deal as a step toward the resumption of the stalled six-party talks that discuss the North’s denuclearization in return for economic and political considerations. The on again-off again talks last convened in 2009 and also include Japan, Russia and China.

U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said the United States would discuss “logistical challenges” with officials from the World Food Program, which is slated to deliver about half of the U.S. aid, later this week, but that the food would be delivered “as soon as possible.”

The other half will be delivered by private U.S. groups, reports said. The deliveries are said to include biscuits and nutritional items for children amid widespread speculation that other items such as rice are easily diverted for military use.

Despite the progress, many analysts say the North is unlikely to give up nuclear weapons that it sees as its greatest deterrent. Some say Pyongyang could be angling to freeze its program in return for light-water reactors and more food aid.

But Ri also said his government was willing to improve ties with Washington if such a desire were reciprocated, reportedly reiterating Pyongyang’s position that it is willing to establish liaison offices in both countries.

The diplomat struck a different tone on inter-Korean ties, accusing Seoul of not having the will to “respect” agreements made between the sides, in remarks that fell in line with the North’s ongoing strategy of improving relations with Washington while leaving the South out of the loop.

Ties have been badly frayed in recent years and reached their worst point in decades in 2010 when the North waged two deadly provocations against the South. Washington wants the relations to improve before resumption of six-party talks.

North Korea walked out of the six-party talks after being slapped with international sanctions for nuclear testing.