US Envoy Calls for Concerted Efforts on N. Korea
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
U.S. President Barack Obama's point man on North Korea pledged closer cooperation with South Korea's Lee Myung-bak administration on the North Korea nuclear issue, officials here said Monday.
``I have no illusions about what I have agreed to do. It is a very difficult mandate... very difficult sort of task,'' U.S. special envoy on North Korea Stephen Bosworth said at a meeting with South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung-ywan in Seoul.
``I am very committed to working in very close harmony with your government and your team. I think if we all work together, we can make some progress,'' said Bosworth, who arrived here Saturday for a four-day visit, his last stop on a regional tour that took him to China and Japan.
His visit comes as North Korea is trying to ratchet up tension on the Korean Peninsula with a series of campaign of threats against South Korea and the United States amid the deadlock with six-party talks on the North's nuclear ambition.
In its latest provocative moves, Pyongyang vowed to take measures to a possible U.S. interception of its ``satellite'' launch. It also cut off military communications lines with South Korea to protest the annual South Korea-U.S. joint military drills.
Before the meeting with Yu, Bosworth was briefed on North Korea's military moves by Gen. Walter Sharp, commander of U.S. Force Korea at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, ministry officials said.
Later in the day, Bosworth held meetings with Seoul's key policymakers on foreign and defense affairs, including Kim Sung-hwan, chief presidential secretary for foreign and defense matters, and Wi Sung-lac, Seoul's new chief negotiator at the six-party talks involving the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia, they said.
He also paid a courtesy call on Minister of National Defense Lee Sang-hee and Unification Minister Hyun In-taek.