S. Korea confident of nuclear talks despite N. Korea`s missile launch

SEOUL, March 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's chief nuclear envoy dismissed worries
Wednesday that North Korea's rocket launch in early April could put an end the
already-troubled six-way talks on its atomic weapons program.
Pyongyang threatened Tuesday to abandon the talks also involving the U.S., China,
Russia, and Japan, if sanctioned for what it says is a launch of a space vehicle
carrying a communication satellite. The communist nation declared its intention
to go ahead with the launch between April 4-8, snubbing repeated warnings by
South Korea and its allies that it would lead to sanctions under U.N. Security
Council Resolution 1718 that prohibits Pyongyang from all activities linked to
its ballistic missile program.
Wi Sung-lac played down the North's latest threat as "tactical" rhetoric.
"The (six-way) talks are expected to resume after a period of some time, and
there is no big concern or apprehension about the resumption," Wi told reporters
after returning from his two-day trip to Beijing where he met Chinese Vice
Foreign Minister Wu Dawei. Wu chairs the six-way negotiations, of which the
latest round last December ruptured over disputes on how to inspect the North's
nuclear facilities.
"If North Korea fires a long-range missile, a certain countermeasure will be
inevitable," Wi said, adding consultations with Wu were very useful. He did not
elaborate.
When asked about reported differences between Seoul and Beijing over how to
respond to the North's planned move, Wi said the two sides are in "the course of
expanding common understanding."
South Korea says the North will be subject to sanctions whether it shoots a space
rocket or a missile, while China maintains that it is still too early to talk
about punitive measures before the actual launch.
Wi reaffirmed his plan to visit the U.S. later this week to meet Stephen
Bosworth, Washington's point man on Pyongyang, and his assistant Sung Kim.
He said more consultations are needed on the proposed three-way meeting in
Washington between the top nuclear negotiators from South Korea, the U.S., and
Japan.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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