By Kang Seung-woo
United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday that his office is in talks with North Korea to organize a trip to the isolated state in the near future, citing "positive signals" from Pyongyang.
However, he declined to comment on the possibility of him visiting before the end of the year.
This was the first time that Ban acknowledged the possibility of a plan that may lead him to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
"I can't talk about travel plans right now, but I'm working hard to make a visit to the North at the earliest possible date," he told reporters after offering condolences, following the death of former President Kim Young-sam Sunday, at a memorial altar at the U.N.'s Korean mission in New York.
"There has been a positive signal from the North and the two sides are in discussions to decide when the best time would be to visit.
"But nothing has been decided yet."
Last week, China's Xinhua news agency, citing a North Korean official, reported that Ban would travel to the North on Nov. 23, but this was denied by U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who said that talks were still under way. According to reports, Nov. 23 was one of the dates considered for Ban's trip, but it was not selected due to a scheduling conflict.
"The North has yet to offer another date," Ban said.
"I don't think it would be that easy to set up a visit to the North as there are many sensitive issues. I hope you will wait patiently for a while."
Ban, whose term expires at the end of 2016, added that he has tried to balance his role as a South Korean citizen as well as U.N. Secretary-General in looking for an opportunity to advance inter-Korean peace and reconciliation and ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
He said his plan has made headway after recent discussions with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong, who recently visited the U.N. twice.
Asked if he could travel to the North within the year, Ban said "I have nothing to say on the issue."
Should Ban travel to the repressive country, he would be the third serving U.N. chief to go there after Kurt Waldheim in 1979 and Boutros Boutros-Ghali in 1993, both of whom met with North Korea founder Kim Il-sung.
Ban also planned to visit the Gaeseong Industrial Complex in May, but his trip was cancelled at the last minute because Pyongyang abruptly refused to allow it.
United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday that his office is in talks with North Korea to organize a trip to the isolated state in the near future, citing "positive signals" from Pyongyang.
However, he declined to comment on the possibility of him visiting before the end of the year.
This was the first time that Ban acknowledged the possibility of a plan that may lead him to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
"I can't talk about travel plans right now, but I'm working hard to make a visit to the North at the earliest possible date," he told reporters after offering condolences, following the death of former President Kim Young-sam Sunday, at a memorial altar at the U.N.'s Korean mission in New York.
"There has been a positive signal from the North and the two sides are in discussions to decide when the best time would be to visit.
"But nothing has been decided yet."
Last week, China's Xinhua news agency, citing a North Korean official, reported that Ban would travel to the North on Nov. 23, but this was denied by U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who said that talks were still under way. According to reports, Nov. 23 was one of the dates considered for Ban's trip, but it was not selected due to a scheduling conflict.
"The North has yet to offer another date," Ban said.
"I don't think it would be that easy to set up a visit to the North as there are many sensitive issues. I hope you will wait patiently for a while."
Ban, whose term expires at the end of 2016, added that he has tried to balance his role as a South Korean citizen as well as U.N. Secretary-General in looking for an opportunity to advance inter-Korean peace and reconciliation and ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
He said his plan has made headway after recent discussions with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong, who recently visited the U.N. twice.
Asked if he could travel to the North within the year, Ban said "I have nothing to say on the issue."
Should Ban travel to the repressive country, he would be the third serving U.N. chief to go there after Kurt Waldheim in 1979 and Boutros Boutros-Ghali in 1993, both of whom met with North Korea founder Kim Il-sung.
Ban also planned to visit the Gaeseong Industrial Complex in May, but his trip was cancelled at the last minute because Pyongyang abruptly refused to allow it.
