S. Korea, Japan discuss countermeasures to N. Korean rocket launch

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, March 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator said Tuesday
that his country and Japan will continue diplomatic efforts to dissuade North
Korea from its planned rocket launch.

Returning from his three-day trip to Tokyo, Wi Sung-lac said the neighboring
nations are also preparing contingency plans in case such efforts fail.
He held a series of meetings in Tokyo with Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi
Nakasone, Deputy Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka, and Tokyo's top nuclear envoy
Akitaka Saiki, who is also the Japanese foreign ministry's director general for
Asian and Oceanian affairs.
"I discussed with Director-General Saiki various preemptive and counter steps
with regard to North Korea's (planned) missile launch, as well as ways to resume
the six-way talks," Wi told reporters.
The six-way talks on Pyongyang's denuclearization have been stalled for months
over a dispute on verification of the North's nuclear inventory. The outlook for
the negotiations, also involving the U.S., China, and Russia, dimmed after North
Korea announced last week that it will fire a rocket carrying an "experimental
communication satellite" some time between April 4-8.
South Korea and its allies regard the launch as a disguised long-range missile
test and say it would violate U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718, which bans
the North from engaging in any missile-related activities. They warn sanctions
could follow should the North proceed with the launch.
"Efforts to stop the launch are not only meaningful in themselves, but are also
expected to serve as a basis for cooperation (among related parties) on
countermeasures," Wi said. "South Korea and Japan share common ground on various
measures, including going through the U.N. Security Council, in case of an actual
launch."
On the denuclearization talks, the official said South Korea, Japan, and other
participating countries agree to the need for an early resumption. He did not
elaborate.
Wi added he plans to visit China later this month to meet Vice Foreign Minister
Wu Dawei, who chairs the six-party talks.
He did not specify a schedule, saying consultations are still under way, but a
diplomatic source here said Wi is expected to make a two-day trip to Beijing next
Monday.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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