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Tue, April 13, 2021 | 19:55
North Korea calls for meeting with US
北, 美에 고위급회담 제안…비핵화 의지 피력
Posted : 2013-06-16 14:12
Updated : 2013-06-16 14:12
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By Kim Tae-gyu

North Korea proposed a senior-level meeting with the United States, Sunday, to deal with denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and other key issues.

The proposal came five days after Pyongyang proposed and called off talks with South Korea.

"If the U.S. is really interested in easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and securing regional peace and stability, we should hold a high-level meeting," the North's National Defense Commission said in a statement through state media.

"Broad-based topics can be discussed, including relaxing military tension, changing the armistice to a peace regime and building a nuclear-free world, an initiative of the U.S.," it said.

Washington did not make an immediate response, primarily because of the time difference, but it is expected to be cautious to pessimistic about talks with Pyongyang, although some experts said that the latter's tone this time sounded more conciliatory than before.

The U.S has called on the North to give up its nuclear weapons program first.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on a nuclear-free Korea during their recent summit.

Pyongyang' s de facto top decisionmaking body headed by its young leader Kim Jong-un also urged the U.S. to decide the time and venue of what would be the first high-level dialogue between the two Korean War foes since February 2012.

The Korean War (1950-53) ended in an armistice and the North has continued to call for talks to replace it with a peace treaty to the exclusion of the South.

Pyongyang also demanded that the U.S. should not repeat preconditions such as the North's denuclearization.

"To achieve a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula is the instruction handed down to us by our previous leaders. It is a goal that our party, country and 10 million soldiers and people should realize," it said.

North Korea was established by Kim Jong-un's grandfather, Kim Il-sung, after the country gained independence from colonial Japanese rule in 1945. The founder was succeeded by his son and Kim's father Kim Jong-il.

It remains to be seen whether Washington will accept the offer but most bet against it as the Obama administration doesn't trust the North.

Glyn Davies, the U.S. point man on North Korea policy, recently said that Washington has set the bar higher for any meeting with Pyongyang after its provocative actions this year and the cancellation of the inter-Korean talks.

Some watchers point out that North Korea has changed its tone, possibly due to the failure of its tried-and-tested "diplomatic approach." "The North seems to feel a sense of urgency. Some of its leaders may question its time-worn strategy of gaining concessions via talks that follow provocations," said Chang Yong-seok, a researcher at Seoul National University.

"This is the first time that the North has talked about a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without asking first for the abolition of the world's nuclear arsenal including that of the U.S.," Chang said. "It may be ready to make a concession in giving up its nuclear program. We need to recognize this."













voc200@ktimes.co.kr,






北, 美에 고위급회담 제안…비핵화 의지 피력

북한이 16일 국방위원회 대변인 중대담화에서 북미 당국 간 고위급 회담을 전격 제안했다.

국방위 대변인은 이날 한반도 비핵화를 대화의 전제조건으로 내세워서는 안 된다고 강조하면서 '조선반도(한반도)의 긴장을 완화하고 미국 본토를 포함한 지역의 평화와 안전을 담보하는 데 진실로 관심이 있다면 조(북)·미 당국 사이에 고위급 회담을 가질 것을 제안한다'고 밝혔다고 조선중앙통신이 전했다.

북한의 이번 제안은 남북당국회담이 무산된 지 5일 만에 나온 것으로, 북미대화에 앞서 북한의 선(先)비핵화 조치가 필요하다는 입장인 미국 정부가 이 제안을 수용할 지가 주목된다.

최근의 북미간 고위급 접촉은 작년 2월 김계관 외무성 부상과 글린 데이비스 미국 대북정책 특별대표 사이의 접촉으로 당시 2·29합의를 끌어냈다.

특히 이번 북한의 제안은 최룡해 군 총정치국장이 김정은 국방위 제1위원장의 특사로 중국을 방문해 시진핑 국가주석에게 6자회담 등 관련국과 대화 의지를 밝힌 것의 후속조치로 보인다.

국방위 대변인은 북미 고위급회담의 의제와 관련해 ▲군사적 긴장 완화 ▲정전체제의 평화체제 전환 ▲핵 없는 세계 건설 문제 등 양측이 원하는 여러 문제가 될 수 있을 것이라고 밝혔다.

또 회담의 시기와 장소에 대해 '미국이 편리한대로 정하면 될 것'이라며 '미국은 진정으로 '핵 없는 세계'를 바라고 긴장완화를 원한다면 차례진 기회를 놓치지 말고 우리(북한)의 대범한 용단과 선의에 적극 호응해나와야 할 것'이라고 강조했다.

국방위 대변인은 비핵화와 관련, '조선반도의 비핵화는 수령님과 장군님의 유훈이며 우리 당과 국가와 천만군민이 반드시 실현해야 할 정책적 과제'라는 입장을 밝혔다.

이어 '우리(북한)의 비핵화는 남조선을 포함한 조선반도 전역의 비핵화이며 우리에 대한 미국의 핵위협을 완전히 종식시킬 것을 목표로 내세운 가장 철저한 비핵화'라고 설명했다.

이어 '핵보유국으로서의 우리의 당당한 지위는 그 누가 인정해주든말든 조선반도 전역에 대한 비핵화가 실현되고 외부의 핵위협이 완전히 종식될 때까지 추호의 흔들림도 없이 유지될 것'이라며 '미국은 우리에 대한 핵위협과 공갈을 그만두고 '제재'를 포함한 모든 형태의 도발부터 중지해야 한다'고 주장했다.
Emailvoc200@ktimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
US not enthusiastic yet about N. Korea's dialogue offer
The White House said Sunday North Korea should first prove its seriousness about dialogue through actions, "not nice words," effectively turning down the communist nation's offer o...









 
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