Allies step up talks on NK, Iran

By Kim Young-jin

South Korea and the United States have moved to step up consultations over possible dialogue with North Korea and sanctions on Iran amid growing concern over the latter two countries’ nuclear programs.

Lim Sung-nam, Seoul’s point man on the North’s nuclear activities, departed for Washington Monday for a fresh round of consultations over dealing with the Stalinist regime following the death of leader Kim Jong-il last month.

Later, Robert Einhorn, U.S. special adviser for nonproliferation and arms control, arrived in Seoul with his delegation to discuss how to minimize the impact on Seoul of U.S.-led sanctions on Tehran.

The allies are said to be in lockstep over dealing with Pyongyang’s new leadership led by Kim’s youngest son Kim Jong-un. Lim said the talks today, which also involve Tokyo, are to “discuss ways to resume dialogue with regard to North Korea’s nuclear issue.”

Though the leadership transition has appeared smooth outwardly, huge questions remain over the fate of long-stalled six-party denuclearization talks that the senior Kim’s regime had expressed interest in rejoining.

The late ruler’s death came amid reports that Pyongyang agreed during talks to suspend its uranium enrichment program in return for 240,000 tons of food aid from the U.S. The suspension has been deemed a precondition for the resumption of the forum, which includes the two Koreas, the U.S., Japan, Russia and China.

The North says the deal remains on the table but that Washington should build “trust” first, which observers say could involve offering more aid in the form of grain.

The trilateral talks will involve Lim, his Japanese counterpart Shinsuke Sugiyama and Kurt Campbell, Washington’s point man on Asia.

Meanwhile, the arrival of the U.S. delegation led by Einhorn comes amid growing tensions in the Middle East after President Barack Obama last month signed a bill imposing tough penalties on financial institutions dealing with Iran’s central bank.

In play is Seoul’s importation of crude oil from the Middle East country, which represents almost 10 percent of local consumption up from 8.3 percent in 2010.

Officials said Seoul has yet to determine by how much to reduce its oil imports from Tehran, but the foreign ministry said in a statement it would “actively request that the U.S. help minimize potential adverse effects that the new U.S. sanctions could place on South Korean companies.”

The South deals with Iran’s central bank to pay for the shipments.

Under one scenario that has been floated, the nation could roll back its percentage of Iranian crude oil to 2010 levels ahead of future reductions to cushion against adverse effects.

In a related move, Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik is on a trip to the Middle East to explore the possibility of increasing imports from Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

Tehran threatened to close the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane for oil transportation over the sanction campaign. Washington says Iran’s nuclear program is intended for manufacturing nuclear weapons.