S. Korea, U.S., Japan to coordinate on N. Korea`s rocket launch

SEOUL, March 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's chief nuclear envoy headed to
Washington Friday to coordinate a strategy for countering North Korea's imminent
rocket launch, following media reports that a long-range rocket has already been
mounted onto the secretive nation's east coast launchpad.
"As North Korea's rocket launch preparations gather pace, I will have
consultations on the issue and the six-way talks (on the North's nuclear
program)," Wi Sung-lac told reporters shortly before his departure.
He plans to have a separate meeting with Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. special
representative for North Korea, and his assistant Sung Kim.
Wi said that he will also have a chance to meet his Japanese counterpart Akitaka
Saiki, who will be in the U.S. capital at the same time.
Earlier in the day, State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said that no
official gathering of all three countries' representatives was scheduled yet,
although it could happen. But a South Korean foreign ministry official said that
the envoys from the three parties plan to have a dinner meeting on Friday
(Washington time). Wi has not set a date for returning to Seoul, added the
official, who asked not to be named.
North Korea gave notice to global organizations on aviation and shipping safety
that it will shoot a rocket carrying a communication satellite between April 4-8.
According to the North's announced plan, the first stage of the rocket would
splash down in the waters near Japan's northwestern coast and the second stage is
to fall in the Pacific Ocean.
Japan has begun preparations to destroy any dangerous debris in case the North's
plan backfires.
"I have issued an order to prepare to destroy any object that might fall on Japan
as a result of an accident involving a flying object from North Korea," Defense
Minister Yasukazu Hamada said after a meeting of Japan's Security Council.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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