Seoul's vice foreign minister due in U.S. for talks

SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Chun Yung-woo will
travel to the United States this week for a meeting with his U.S. counterparts
and officials from the United Nations for the first time since taking office, the
foreign ministry said Thursday.
Chun will depart Friday for the six-day trip to New York and Washington.
"While in New York, he will pay a visit to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and
discuss the country's support for efforts to repair damage wreaked by the recent
earthquakes in Haiti and other international issues," it said in a press release.
The vice foreign minister will fly to Washington for a meeting with the United
States' Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg on Monday, it said.
Chun is also scheduled to meet with Ellen Tauscher, under secretary of state for
arms control and international security affairs, and Gary Samore, White House
coordinator for arms control and weapons of mass destruction, proliferation and
terrorism, for talks that will likely focus on North Korea.
Chun, 56, worked as Seoul's top negotiator in six-nation talks on ending North
Korea's nuclear ambition from 2006 until he was named the ambassador to Britain
in 2008.
He was named one of two vice foreign ministers late last year.
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