S. Korea, China to discuss countermeasures to N. Korea missile threat

(ATTN: UPDATES with Japan's proposal for three-way meeting in Washington in last 3
paras)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, March 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator said Tuesday
that he will focus on mapping out contingency plans in case of a North Korean
missile launch with his Chinese counterpart in talks later in the day.
"To be mainly discussed are measures before and after North Korea fires a
missile," Wi Sung-lac said shortly before flying to Beijing, where he will meet
China's Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei.
North Korea announced that it will shoot what it says is a rocket carrying an
experimental communication satellite some time between April 4-8. South Korea,
the U.S., and Japan regard the claim as a smokescreen for its long-range missile
program.
United Nations agencies on aviation and shipping safety have already taken steps
to clear the airspace and waters during the launch period. South Korean
intelligence sources expect a missile to be mounted on the launch pad as early as
this weekend for fuel injection at a base on the North's east coast.
The North's dialogue partners in the six-way nuclear disarmament talks have
continued efforts to dissuade Pyongyang from firing a missile, but they are now
leaning towards contingency plans, Wi said.
"As the clock ticks, we are placing more weight on countermeasures after a
launch," the envoy said without providing details.
Wi added that he and the Chinese official will also discuss ways to resume the
stalled six-way talks. The latest round of negotiations held last December ended
in a stalemate amid a dispute over how to verify the North's nuclear inventory.
"With North Korea preparing for a missile launch, however, we will talk about the
principles (of the resumption), not concrete methods," he said.
Wi said he will also visit the U.S. within the month to meet Stephen Bosworth,
Washington's point man on Pyongyang. A schedule has yet to be fixed, he added.
Another South Korean Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday that Japan has
proposed a wider meeting in Washington to include Tokyo's chief nuclear envoy,
Akitaka Saiki.
"The Japanese side delivered its intention to have a trilateral meeting with the
South Korean and U.S. delegation heads to the six-way talks in Washington," the
official said, asking not to be named.
Such a meeting could be arranged if the South Korean and Japanese envoys "happen
to be" in the U.S. capital at the same time, the official said. It is uncertain
whether Bosworth or Sung Kim, special U.S. envoy to the six-party talks, would
attend, he said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)