U.S. envoy declines to comment on N. Korea`s latest threats

By Lee Chi-dong
INCHEON, May 8 (Yonhap) -- Senior U.S. nuclear envoy Stephen Bosworth was guarded
Friday about North Korea's latest statement critical of the Obama administration,
saying he would focus on consultations with the South Korean government during
his stay here.
"I am not going to react to every statement coming out of North Korea. I am here
to have talks with the South Korean government," Bosworth told reporters upon
arriving at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, after a two-day trip to
Beijing, where he met Chinese officials to discuss ways to resume the six-way
talks on the North Korean nuclear program.
He was responding to a question about his view on Pyongyang's statement issued a
few hours before his arrival.
The North's foreign ministry said that it is useless to have talks with the U.S.
as there has been no policy change between the Obama government and its
predecessor.
"The study of the policy pursued by the Obama administration for the past 100
days since its emergence made it clear that the U.S. hostile policy toward the
DPRK remains unchanged," an unnamed ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by
the country's official news agency.
Bosworth refused to provide more comments despite a barrage of questions by
reporters, only reiterating that he will say more after his meetings with South
Korean officials.
"I am pleased to be here and I am looking forward to my talks with South Korean
government officials," he added.
He is scheduled to meet with South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan and
Seoul's top nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lac later in the day.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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