N. Korean diplomat arrives in Beijing en route to U.S.

BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean diplomat arrived here Tuesday on his
way to the U.S. for a bilateral meeting next week apparently aimed at laying the
groundwork for higher-level nuclear talks.
Ri Gun, director general of the North American affairs bureau at North Korea's
foreign ministry, is reportedly scheduled to meet Sung Kim, the U.S. special
envoy on the six-way nuclear talks, in San Diego on the sidelines of an academic
seminar slated for Oct. 26-27.
"I will go soon (to the U.S.)," Ri told reporters when asked about the timing of
his rare trip there. He was then rushed away in a North Korean embassy sedan.
Diplomatic sources said Ri is likely to stay in Beijing for a few days for
consultations with Chinese officials.
The U.S. earlier issued a visa for Ri to travel to San Diego and New York. South
Korean nuclear negotiators said they "won't be surprised" if Ri meets Sung Kim
during his trip to the U.S.
Their meeting is widely seen as a prelude to higher-level contact between the two
sides. The North has invited Stephen Bosworth, special U.S. representative for
North Korea policy, to visit Pyongyang.
The U.S. has said it is open to such high-level bilateral contact if it guarantees
the resumption of the long-stalled six-party talks also involving South Korea,
China, Russia, and Japan.
Kim and Ri are expected to discuss the conditions for full-scale bilateral talks,
including Bosworth's counterpart, Japan's Kyodo News said.
It added the U.S. wants the North to be represented by Vice Foreign Minister Kang
Sok-ju, who is known to oversee Pyongyang's nuclear and U.S. policies, not Kim
Kye-gwan, its top delegate to the six-party forum.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)