Ranking U.S. officials to visit Seoul on NK issues

SEOUL, May 31 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg will
visit South Korea early this week to discuss measures against North Korea's
recent nuclear test and missile launches, the Foreign Ministry here said Sunday.

The North carried out its second nuclear test on May 25, despite the U.N.
Security Council's strengthened sanctions and warnings from the international
community after its April 5 rocket launch. It triggered widespread criticism from
participants in six-party talks aiming at denuclearization of the communist
country.
Following the underground test, Pyongyang shot a series of short-range missiles
in the East Sea, and also appears to be preparing for a long-range missile test.
"The U.S. delegation led by Steinberg will come to Seoul on June 2-3 after
visiting Tokyo," a ministry official said.
The delegation will include Stephen Bosworth, U.S. representative for North
Korean policy, Treasury Undersecretary Stuart Levy, Wallace Gregson, assistant
secretary of defense for Asian Pacific affairs, and Jeffrey Bader, senior
director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council (NSC), the official
said.
While in Seoul, the U.S. officials will meet with South Korean Foreign Minister
Yu Myung-hwan and Vice Foreign Minister Kwon Jong-rak to discuss concerted
measures to counter the North's recent moves, according to the official.
Diplomatic sources noted Levy's joining in the trip indicates the possiblity that
Seoul and Washington will discuss financial sanctions against the North. The U.S.
official spearheaded the freezing of tens of millions of dollars in North Korean
assets in Banco Delta Asia in 2005.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)