Korea, U.S. to fine-tune stance on N.K.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg will today meet with South Korean officials including Wi Sung-lac, the nation`s chief nuclear negotiator, to discuss pressing regional issues including the North Korean nuclear standoff, officials said yesterday.

"North Korea will of course be on their agenda, along with other issues concerning the two allies," said a Foreign Ministry official declining to be identified.

When and how Washington plans to meet with Pyongyang is expected to be discussed, diplomatic sources said, along with President Lee Myung-bak`s latest proposal to offer a "grand bargain" deal to the North in return for irrevocable denuclearization.

Steinberg arrived yesterday as part of a five-nation Asian tour. He plans to meet with other high-ranking officials here such as Vice Foreign Minister Kwon Jong-rak, the ministry said.



This afternoon, the deputy secretary is scheduled to meet with Unification Minister Hyun In-taek as the two Koreas launched the second segment of family reunions-the first in almost two years.

Steinberg` s visit comes amid concerns that Washington and Seoul may not be on the same page on North Korean policies.

The president`s "grand bargain" deal was met with an initial mixture of confusion and skepticism from Washington, but officials here said there was no "lack of coordination" between the two allies.

"We are mostly in agreement in that we need to somehow bring the North back to the six-nation talks and see the North take steps to irreversibly terminate its nuclear weapons programs," said another Foreign Ministry official.

Both Seoul and Washington have reiterated on several occasions that Pyongyang must return to the multilateral dialogue "with no delay."

Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan, following a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi yesterday said the six-party talks are an "instrumental platform for denuclearizing North Korea."

A bilateral meeting between the United States and North Korea would be used only as a means for bringing the Kim Jong-il regime back to the denuclearization dialogue, according to both Seoul and Washington.

The Barack Obama administration so far remains undecided on when it will accept North Korea`s latest invitation to Pyongyang for an exclusive bilateral dialogue regarding its nuclear weapons programs.

A high-ranking South Korean official earlier this month predicted that such a meeting may occur late next month or earlier November.

Pyongyang quit the talks "permanently" in April after the United Nations Security condemned its rocket launch that month.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao`s upcoming visit to the North next week is expected to promote talks between Pyongyang and Washington, as experts believe Wen would try to persuade Kim Jong-il to further soften and interact with the international community.

Kim has embarked on a string of goodwill gestures towards both the United States and South Korea in its pursuit of a one-on-one with Washington.

Following yesterday`s meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Seoul`s Foreign Minister Yu is scheduled to meet with his Japanese counterpart Katsuya Okada on Wednesday to further discuss regional issues.

He is expected to hammer out a similar statement as with Yang, with Japan reaffirming its refusal to accept North Korea`s nuclear weapons.

Steinberg also will be in Japan tomorrow to conduct the final leg of his latest regional swing.

The foreign ministers of the three Asian countries -- South Korea, China and Japan -- met on Monday for the third annual trilateral meeting.

A summit between the leaders of the three neighbors is scheduled for Oct. 10.

(jemmie@heraldm.com)



By Kim Ji-hyun