U.S. assistant secretary of state due in Seoul

(ATTN: UPDATES with additional remarks from foreign ministry official in para 4,
minor changes; CORRECTS title of Kurt Campbell to assistant secretary of state)
SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell will
arrive in the South Korean capital later Tuesday on a three-day visit to meet
with officials here on various issues, including the Korea-U.S. alliance and
North Korea's nuclear ambition.
The U.S. official will arrive from Japan, where he was on a two-day visit from
Monday, according to an official at the U.S. embassy in Seoul.
Campbell, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, is
scheduled to hold talks with his South Korean counterpart Lee Yong-joon on
Wednesday to discuss various bilateral issues, such as the scheduled transfer of
wartime operational control of South Korean troops to Seoul and the ongoing
return of U.S. bases due to a relocation of U.S. troops to an enlarged base in
Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul.
"During his visit here, Assistant Secretary of State Campbell will largely focus
on reviewing bilateral issues between the two countries, such as the Korea-U.S.
free trade agreement," an official at the South Korean foreign ministry said.
Campbell is also scheduled to meet with Deputy Minister for Trade Lee Hye-min,
the country's chief negotiator in free trade talks, for discussions on the
Korea-U.S. FTA signed over two years ago, but yet to be ratified by the
countries' legislatures.
The U.S. official will head back to Washington on Thursday after also meeting
with Seoul's point man on North Korea, Unification Minister Hyun In-taek,
presidential security adviser Kim Sung-hwan and Wi Sung-lac, the country's chief
negotiator in six-nation talks over North Korea's nuclear program, according to
the ministry official.
"He will meet with Wi early Thursday to discuss ways to resume the six-party
talks and joint strategy for North Korea's nuclear ambition," the ministry
official said.
South Korea and the U.S. are participating in the six-nation talks aimed at
denuclearizing North Korea. The talks have stalled since late 2008, with the
communist North announcing in mid-2009 that it was permanently quitting the
negotiations also attended by Japan, China and Russia.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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