By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan expressed hope Friday that the stalled six-party denuclearization talks would resume early next month, calling on the North to return to the negotiating table "without conditions."
"China, the host for the six-party talks, is making efforts to convince North Korea to rejoin the six-party talks," Yu said in a news briefing in Seoul.
Pyongyang has boycotted the multinational disarmament talks, which involves the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia, since the international community imposed sanctions against the communist state following the test-launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles and a second nuclear test last spring.
The top diplomat in South Korea remained firm on the international sanctions against North Korea.
"Our government will keep the position of supporting the U.N. sanctions (against North Korea) and engaging dialogue with the North," he said, adding South Korea, the United States and China were sharing the view that the sanctions should be maintained.
But Pyongyang said last week that it would rejoin the six-nation talks only when U.N. sanctions against the Communist country is lifted.
As for the planned transition of wartime operational control of South Korean troops from the U.S. military, Yu made it clear that both countries have been on track to meet the timeline for 2012.
Conservatives in the country have insisted that the transition be delayed in consideration of North Korea's lingering missile and nuclear threats.
Under a 2007 deal on command rearrangements, the current Combined Forces Command of the South Korean and U.S. militaries will be deactivated before 2012 and separate theater commands will instead be established.
South Korean forces will lead key combat operations on the Korean Peninsula with the U.S. military shifting to a naval- and air-centric supporting role.