AP News, December 13th, 2006
South Korea's new foreign minister called Wednesday for all sides to work for progress at upcoming talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program, saying Seoul would play an active role in seeking to persuade Pyongyang to disarm.
Abandoning its nuclear ambitions "clearly serves North Korea's interest," said Song Min-soon, who became Seoul's top diplomat last month. He added that Seoul would make "creative and active" efforts to induce North Korea to implement a September 2005 agreement in which the North pledged to scrap its pursuit of nuclear technology in exchange for energy and aid.
North Korea walked away from the talks _ which also include China, Japan, Russia and the United States _ 13 months ago. But they are set to resume Monday in Beijing.
Song said if the North takes visible steps, the five other nations should also be prepared to make concessions. He didn't elaborate.
A Korean language newspaper, meanwhile, reported Thursday that North Korea has said it could shut down the 5-megawatt nuclear reactor at its main nuclear complex in Yongbyon and accept U.N. inspections if Washington makes certain concessions.
The newspaper, Hankook Ilbo, said the North Koreans have asked Washington, in return, to lift financial sanctions imposed because of its alleged currency counterfeiting and money-laundering. Pyongyang is also demanding energy aid, the newspaper said.
South Korea's new unification minister called for "patience" by the participants in the revived talks. "It is important to create an atmosphere in which the agreement is faithfully implemented," Lee Jae-joung said in a speech.
In Tokyo on Wednesday, the special U.N. envoy on human rights in North Korea said a resolution of the nuclear standoff could clear the way for talks on Pyongyang's alleged human rights abuses.
"A positive development on that front will contribute to the space for humanitarian action," said the envoy, Vitit Muntarbhorn. "There are many possibilities once we nurture a sense of mutual confidence to positive dialogue."
North Korea routinely tops the lists of countries cited by activists for human rights abuses. Leader Kim Jong Il does not tolerate dissent, restricts travel and discourages religion. Economic mismanagement has, meanwhile, left most of the population in poverty and created massive food shortages.
Resolving the nuclear issue and addressing human rights abuses are not incompatible goals, Muntarbhorn said. But other nations have been reluctant to press Pyongyang on human rights, fearing that doing so may undermine talks on North Korea's nuclear program.
"We know very well that the primacy at the moment of course is on the nuclear," Muntarbhorn said. "But that does not rule out or negate the possibility of other entry points or other interactions."
