US, S. Korea say apology from NK not enough

By Kim Young-jin, Kang Hyun-kyung

Seoul and Washington on Wednesday ratcheted up pressure on Pyongyang to come up with concrete measures to demonstrate its intent to dismantle its nuclear program, saying only then can multilateral denuclearization negotiations resume.

The separate calls from James Steinberg, deputy secretary of the State Department, and a high-ranking Seoul official coincided with the two Koreas taking the necessary steps to hold ministerial-level military talks next month.

During the meeting with senior foreign ministry officials, Seoul and Washington agreed to work together to discuss Pyongyang’s enriched uranium program at the U.N. Security Council (UNSC). The two sides also agreed to step up efforts to convince China, a decades-long benefactor of North Korea and veto-wielding permanent UNSC member, to take joint steps with them to condemn the uranium program.

“Through our common efforts we are beginning to persuade all the parties that we need to see concrete steps and sincere moves by North Korea to move forward,” in order for the six-party talks to resume, Steinberg told reporters in Seoul.

Steinberg, on the first stop of his Asia trip that will also bring him to Japan and China, briefed high-level Seoul officials including Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan on the results of last week’s summit between President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao.

Meanwhile, a foreign ministry official told reporters after Steinberg’s visit that potential measures by North Korea to address the sinking of the Cheonan and its shelling of Yeonpyeong Island would not necessarily guarantee the resumption of stalled multilateral nuclear talks.

The official said on condition of anonymity that “North Korea needs to come up with deeds showing its willingness to give up its nuclear program” to see the talks resumed.

Steinberg also stressed that North Korea should heed the strong message sent by the international community over its recently-disclosed uranium enrichment program.

“It's very important that the international community send a strong message that … any uranium enrichment program by North Korea would be inconsistent with its international obligations, its Security Council resolutions and with its own commitments,” he said.

The North disclosed the uranium enrichment program in November, days before raising regional tension by shelling Yeonpyeong Island. Experts fear it could be upgraded to create weapons grade uranium.

Pyongyang broke its silence Thursday, saying that it is committed to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

“As the nuclear problem on the peninsula is entirely due to the U.S.’s threat of nuclear war and hostile policy toward us, (denuclearization) dialogue, which can fundamentally eliminate its roots, is necessary,” the North’s foreign ministry said in a statement released through the official Korean Central News Agency.

On Wednesday, Seoul urged Pyongyang to respond to its proposal for holding high-level nuclear talks. Earlier, the Ministry of Unification had proposed that South and North Korea hold talks to discuss the latter’s nuclear program. The North has not responded to the proposal.

In a statement, the ministry said it was essential for Pyongyang to send an unequivocal sign that it is willing to give up its nuclear program.

“To this end, it is necessary for North and South Korean officials to meet to figure out that the North’s commitment on denuclearization is sincere,” it said.

Cheong Seong-chang, senior fellow of the Sejong Institute, predicted North Korea, which previously remained unwilling to negotiate with the South over its nuclear program, may consider this offer seriously.

He pointed out that Pyongyang Korea was active in seeking dialogue lately, considering it first proposed the military talks.

“The military dialogue card hints that lately there has been a shift in the policy toward Seoul,” Cheong said.

“There was a power shift among the political elite in the North after Kim Jong-un was elevated to powerful posts in the party, as well as in the military. Now the elite are in their forties and fifties, and I think they are strategic thinkers. Their voices have begun to have real impact on policy-making process there.”

Steinberg, after paying a courtesy visit to President Lee Myung-bak, left for Tokyo for talks with Japanese officials.