The government said Thursday that the upcoming inter-Korean summit will help boost international efforts
to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions in the framework of the ongoing six-party nuclear talks.
The statement by Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung comes as Washington expresses hopes that the second inter-Korean summit will contribute to the multilateral negotiations over the North's denuclearization.
U.S. hardliners have expressed concerns that the summit might divert attention from the six-way talks despite Seoul's commitment to keep pace with Washington while pursuing improvements in inter-Korean relations.
"While working to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue peacefully through diplomatic efforts and improve inter-Korean relations through South-North dialogue, the government has been trying to maintain South-North relations in a way that speeds up the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue," Lee told a weekly press briefing.
"In that sense, (the summit) will be a very important opportunity for the heads of South and North Korea to actively resolve the North's nuclear issue and improve inter-Korean relations," he said.
The summit between President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, scheduled for Aug. 28-30 in Pyongyang, comes shortly after the communist nation shut down its nuclear facilities at Yongbyon under a February six-nation accord.
North Korea has already committed itself to completely disabling the facilities and declaring all of its nuclear
programs under the agreement, which entitles it to 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil or equivalent aid in return.
The unification minister said the second-ever inter-Korean summit will take place while Seoul carefully considers the task and role of the other nations in the multilateral talks on ending the North's nuclear ambition.
"As I have already said many times before, the six-party talks and inter-Korean dialogue run parallel...But I believe it would not be appropriate to say what outcomes will come from the summit," Lee said.
The first inter-Korean summit was held in 2000 between then President Kim Dae-jung and the reclusive North Korean leader.
Lee added the sides have yet to decide what will be discussed at the summit, but said Seoul plans to ask Pyongyang to allow Roh to travel by land, possibly using the inter-Korean railway that was reconnected a few years ago but tested for the first time in May.
"Currently, nothing has been decided as to how to travel. There will be discussions on the issue when the sides hold a meeting next week, but we plan to request that the president travel by land," he said.
Seoul and Pyongyang simultaneously announced Wednesday their agreement to hold the summit in the North Korean capital.
Washington, Seoul's closest ally, welcomed the announcement, but at the same time called for joint efforts to put pressure on the North to denuclearize.
White House spokesman Tony Snow said Wednesday the summit is an opportunity "to continue with the progress made through the six-party talks leading toward denuclearization."
He added, "You've got the six-party process... where you've got to have everybody working together to put pressure on the North Koreans."
In another development, the timing of the South Korean government's notification of the U.S. regarding the summit has become a point of contention. Critics claim Seoul may have went behind the back of its closest ally to make a deal with the communist nation, which is still the main enemy of the two allies' joint forces in South Korea.
The unification minister said the government had closely consulted with the U.S. through various channels well before the Koreas signed the summit agreement on Sunday.
(Yonhap)