U.S. envoy back in S. Korea after Pyongyang trip

SEOUL, Dept. 20 (Yonhap) -- Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special envoy on North Korea,
arrived in South Korea on Thursday after a three-day trip to North Korea aimed at
restarting a multilateral nuclear forum, a visit he reportedly described as "very
useful."
Bosworth and his entourage arrived at the U.S. Osan Air Base, south of Seoul,
about an hour after they left Pyongyang by military jet, South Korean officials
said.
China's official Xinhua news agency quoted Bosworth as saying shortly before
departure that "It was a very useful set of meetings." The U.S. envoy held the
first direct talks with Pyongyang since U.S. President Barack Obama came to power
in January, seeking to revive the six-party talks on the North's nuclear program.
A Seoul foreign ministry official said, requesting anonymity, that Bosworth's
remarks were a "positive" sign.
North Korean media gave no further information, only releasing a one-sentence
dispatch about his departure shortly before 11:30 a.m.
Bosworth plans to brief South Korean government officials on the results of his
trip and then hold a press conference in Seoul, the U.S. embassy said. He is also
scheduled to travel on to Beijing, Tokyo and Moscow before flying back to the
U.S. next week.
lcd@yna.co.kr
hkim@yna.co.kr
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