S. Korean presidential aide to meet U.S. officials on N. Korea, other issues: embassy

By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 (Yonhap) -- A senior aide to South Korean President Lee
Myung-bak arrived here Wednesday to meet with U.S. officials on the stalled North
Korean nuclear talks, enhancing the alliance and other issues of mutual concern,
the South Korean embassy here said.
"Kim Tae-hyo, secretary to President Lee Myung-bak for national security
strategy, will visit Washington from Feb. 3 to 5 and meet with officials of the
White House and the Department of State and congressional and academic figures to
exchange a range of opinions on the North Korean nuclear issue, the Korea-U.S.
alliance and other issue of mutual concern," the embassy said in a statement.
Among the officials Kim will meet is Jeffrey Bader, senior director for East
Asian affairs at the National Security Council, an embassy official said.
Kim's visit coincides with a trip to South Korea by Kurt Campbell, assistant
secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, who earlier in the day in
Seoul called for North Korea to return to the six-party talks first before
discussing easing of sanctions, a peace treaty and any other issues.
Also likely high on the agenda is South Korean President Lee's plans to meet with
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il this year over the nuclear dismantlement of the
reclusive communist state.
Lee said last week that he will not meet with Kim Jong-il unless the North Korean
leader agrees to discuss nuclear weapons and technology, an issue that Pyongyang
has said should be addressed by talks with the U.S.
Kim Jong-il met with Lee's two liberal predecessors, but refused to discuss the
North's nuclear weapons, drawing criticism that South Korea provided
unconditional aid only to help the North's nuclear weapons development project.
Upon his inauguration in early 2008, the conservative South Korean president
suspended hefty aid to North Korea, citing a lack of progress in the North's
denuclearization. The six-party talks involve the two Koreas, the U.S., China,
Japan and Russia.
Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg has supported Lee's inter-Korean summit
proposal.
"We strongly support President Lee and the very clear path he set forward about
what is necessary to achieve peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,"
Steinberg said last week. "I am confident whatever form of engagement the South
Korean government achieves, we will do this through close cooperation. We will be
very supportive of the measures President Lee takes because we know that we are
pursuing the same goal."
hdh@yna.co.kr
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