By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
Chief nuclear negotiator Wi Sung-lac and his U.S. counterpart Sung Kim will meet Tuesday in Hawaii to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue, according to the foreign ministry Saturday.
The meeting has been prepared as follow up to the foreign ministerial meeting between the two countries held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) last month.
``During the discussions, they will likely exchange their opinions on the nuclear issue in an unofficial way,'' a ministry official said, asking to remain anonymous.
Wi and Kim, both special envoys to the six-party denuclearization talks, are expected to join a free discussion prepared for the two-day gathering.
The talks will likely focus on the diplomatic stalemate with North Korea and the implementation of sanctions imposed by the international community over North Korea's May 25 nuclear test, the official added.
The U.N. Security Council in June this year unanimously approved Resolution 1874, which was stronger than previous resolutions, expanding an arms embargo and authorizing ship searches on the high seas.
A month later, it also banned travel and froze assets of 10 North Korean individuals and businesses allegedly involved in the country's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Among major agenda items for the Hawaii gathering is a ``comprehensive package'' mentioned by Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific affairs, during his visit to Seoul last month.
The carrot approach includes incentives for North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program.
As part of the approach, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton indicated that Washington is even considering the normalization of diplomatic ties with the secretive state in return for nuclear disarmament.
The South Korean official is also seeking to meet with U.S. special envoy to Pyongyang Stephen Bosworth, who plans to take part in a seminar hosted by the East-West Center.
The discussion, under the theme ``The Global Economic Crisis and Implications for the Asia Pacific Region,'' will be also attended by Frank Jannuzi of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and staff member Keith Luse.