Allies likely to discuss NK dialogue

By Jun Ji-hye

Kim Kwan-jin

A top presidential security aide is expected to visit Washington this month to coordinate a new approach aimed at resuming talks with North Korea.

“We are working on preparing National Security Office (NSO) chief Kim Kwan-jin’s visit,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Min Kyung-wook said at a briefing Sunday.

Sources say that the visit will likely take place around the Sept. 6-10 Chuseok holiday.

Min said that Kim will pay a visit to the White House and meet his counterpart National Security Adviser Susan Rice.

The two are expected to discuss softening the May 24, 2010 sanctions against North Korea as well as the communist state’s nuclear program.

The so-called May 24 Measures, imposed by former President Lee Myung-bak after the North torpedoed the South Korean frigate, Cheonan, in March 2010, froze nearly all government-level interactions and aid for Pyongyang. Since the incident, visiting North Korea has been strictly forbidden and only a few civic groups have been allowed to visit and provide humanitarian aid.

The former defense minister was appointed NSO chief in June. This will be his first overseas visit in his new capacity.

Kim is also expected to fine-tune the new target date for the eventual takeover of the wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean troops from the United States.

The OPCON transfer is scheduled for 2015 but Seoul has been asking for a delay with reports speculating that foreign and defense chiefs of the two allies will meet in October for a final round of talks.

Kim’s visit is being planned at a time when the Stalinist state is showing signs of accepting Seoul’s offer for high-level talks.

The government offered to hold high-level talks on Aug. 19 at the truce village of Panmunjeom, but Pyongyang did not respond, but did voice fierce opposition to Ulchi-Freedom Guardian (UFG), a joint military exercise by South Korean and US military forces.

Now the drill has finished, the reclusive state recently began referring to the talks on its propaganda website.

“The South is saying that it will discuss anything that the North is interested in. If that is not a lie, the South will have to be open to discussing our proposals,” according to the website.

North Korea watchers see that the reference is interpreted as a strategic move by the North to find a more favorable position before accepting the offer.

Meanwhile, other top officials are scheduled to visit the U.S.

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se is planning to visit in September to attend the United Nations general assembly; North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong is also scheduled to attend.

Defense Minister Han Min-koo will also visit to participate in the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) between the two countries.

Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye