N. Korea's return to nuke talks won't automatically ease U.N. sanctions: Seoul

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Oct. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and other regional powers will maintain the
"two-track approach" of engaging North Korea and also enforcing punitive
sanctions on it under a U.N. resolution even if Pyongyang resumes its bilateral
and multilateral nuclear talks, Seoul's top diplomat said Thursday.
Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said Seoul does not want a repeat of 2006, when
the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution to punish the North for its first
nuclear test but did not fully implement it once the communist regime rejoined
the six-nation disarmament talks with South Korea, the U.S., China, Russia and
Japan.
Other involved countries share Seoul's view, he said.
South Korea's position is to continue the two-track approach "until North Korea
takes irreversible steps towards denuclearization. Other nations have also
reached a consensus on it," the minister said at a press briefing.
Yu said China has reaffirmed its will to fully implement the U.N. Security
Council Resolution 1874, the latest punitive action against the North adopted
after its missile and second nuclear tests.
China's intent was questioned when its Premier Wen Jiabao signed several
cooperation pacts with North Korea during his visit to Pyongyang earlier this
week. The agreements reportedly entail massive aid worth about US$20 million,
including the construction of a bridge over the Yalu River along their border.
South Korean officials and analysts raised concerns that China's move may weaken
international efforts to enforce the U.N. resolution.
"I understand that China has an unchanged stance to fully implement the
resolution," Yu said. "And the U.N. Security Council 1874 excludes humanitarian
aid and development cooperation (from activities subject to sanctions)."
Yu said the U.S. is very cautious not to give a wrong signal to North Korea and
other countries in pushing for bilateral contact with Pyongyang. He confirmed
media reports that North Korea has invited Stephen Bosworth, special
representative for North Korea policy, and Sung Kim, special envoy on the
six-party talks, to visit Pyongyang for bilateral talks.
"The U.S. is making delicate efforts not to give an impression that such a
bilateral meeting will replace the six-way talks," Yu said. "U.S.-North Korea
bilateral contact is what North Korea wants, and the U.S. has confined the
purpose of the bilateral talks to urging North Korea to come back to the six-way
talks."
lcd@yna.co.kr
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