ID :
57090
Thu, 04/23/2009 - 17:20
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/57090
The shortlink copeid
Foreign minister warns N. Korea not to worsen situation
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign minister urged North Korea
Thursday to stop raising tensions and rejoin the six-way talks on its nuclear
program, as his Russian counterpart began a two-day trip to Pyongyang, during
which he is expected to deliver a similar message to the defiant North.
"I can't help expressing serious concern that North Korea is rejecting the
international community's agreement and further damaging all the accomplishments
in the six-way talks," Yu Myung-hwan told his monthly press briefing.
He was referring to a series of Pyongyang's actions to protest the U.N. Security
Council's condemnation of its April 5 rocket launch.
The North announced last week it would never return to the six-way talks also
involving the U.S., China, Russia, and Japan. It also expelled U.N. and U.S.
monitors from its main nuclear site in Yongbyon, a step taken before putting the
almost-disabled facilities back in operation.
Some media outlets have raised the possibility that the North could conduct a
second nuclear test.
"North Korea should not exacerbate the situation any more, abide by the U.N.
Security Council statement and push for denuclearization," the minister said.
He said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who began a two-day trip to
Pyongyang earlier in the day, is expected to deliver such a message to the North.
"We have closely consulted with the Russian government since North Korea's firing
of a long-range rocket," Yu said, responding to a question on whether Seoul has
asked the Russian minister to deliver a certain message. "As Russia is our
important partner in the six-way talks, close consultations are under way between
the two sides on the North Korea nuclear program and other related issues."
Yu added South Korea and Russia also have discussed the issue of a South Korean
worker detained in North Korea for over three weeks, suggesting the Russian
minister may raise the subject in Pyongyang.
The employee working for Hyundai Asan Corp. in the Kaesong industrial park is
accused by North Korea of criticizing the North's political system and attempting
to encourage a North Korean female worker to defect to the capitalist South.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign minister urged North Korea
Thursday to stop raising tensions and rejoin the six-way talks on its nuclear
program, as his Russian counterpart began a two-day trip to Pyongyang, during
which he is expected to deliver a similar message to the defiant North.
"I can't help expressing serious concern that North Korea is rejecting the
international community's agreement and further damaging all the accomplishments
in the six-way talks," Yu Myung-hwan told his monthly press briefing.
He was referring to a series of Pyongyang's actions to protest the U.N. Security
Council's condemnation of its April 5 rocket launch.
The North announced last week it would never return to the six-way talks also
involving the U.S., China, Russia, and Japan. It also expelled U.N. and U.S.
monitors from its main nuclear site in Yongbyon, a step taken before putting the
almost-disabled facilities back in operation.
Some media outlets have raised the possibility that the North could conduct a
second nuclear test.
"North Korea should not exacerbate the situation any more, abide by the U.N.
Security Council statement and push for denuclearization," the minister said.
He said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who began a two-day trip to
Pyongyang earlier in the day, is expected to deliver such a message to the North.
"We have closely consulted with the Russian government since North Korea's firing
of a long-range rocket," Yu said, responding to a question on whether Seoul has
asked the Russian minister to deliver a certain message. "As Russia is our
important partner in the six-way talks, close consultations are under way between
the two sides on the North Korea nuclear program and other related issues."
Yu added South Korea and Russia also have discussed the issue of a South Korean
worker detained in North Korea for over three weeks, suggesting the Russian
minister may raise the subject in Pyongyang.
The employee working for Hyundai Asan Corp. in the Kaesong industrial park is
accused by North Korea of criticizing the North's political system and attempting
to encourage a North Korean female worker to defect to the capitalist South.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)
