State Dept. falls short of confirming Bosworth`s Asian trip next week

By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, May 1 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. State Department Friday stopped short of
confirming media reports that Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special representative for
North Korea, will soon embark on an Asian tour to discuss ways to persuade North
Korea to return to six-party denuclearization talks.
"I don't have anything to announce on Ambassador Bosworth's travel," spokesman
Robert Wood said. "At some point he will travel out to the region, but I don't
have anything for you at this point."
Reports said that Bosworth will travel to South Korea, China, Japan and Russia
late next week on his second Asian tour since his appointment in February.
Bosworth proposed to travel to Pyongyang early last month during his first Asian
trip since taking office as the Barack Obama administration's point man on North
Korea, but was rejected by the North.
Some analysts see the rejection as a strategy to up the ante ahead of bilateral
talks with the U.S. on the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
North Korea has announced it will boycott the six-party talks with South Korea,
the U.S., China, Japan and Russia in retaliation for the U.N. condemnation of the
North's April 5 rocket launch, which Pyongyang insisted was a satellite launch.
Pyongyang also threatened to conduct further nuclear and ballistic missile tests
unless the U.N. apologizes for the rebuke.
Some observers say North Korea fears an extension of China's influence, from
economy to politics, through its pivotal role as host of the talks. North Korea's
biggest benefactor and staunchest communist ally, China has invested heavily in
the impoverished regime in recent decades, and is its biggest trading partner,
providing fuel, grain and other necessities.
hdh@yna.co.kr
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