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,
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,
