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South Korea’s top delegate to the six party talks

Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special representative for North Korea Policy, said Sunday that while North Korea’s freeing of two U.S. journalists was a welcome development, he believes there has been no fundamental change in North Korea’s attitude concerning denuclearization.

During a press conference with reporters at the Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, Bosworth said that the U.S. and South Korea agree that the core issue is the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and that the nuclear issue requires a multilateral solution. He also added that signs of North Korea’s continuing nuclear program, including highly enriched uranium (HEU), are cause for worry, and that the U.S. would deal with the issue in a comprehensive way. He stressed that he has been satisfied with the level of cooperation with South Korea and other partners in executing United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1874, which calls for the inspection of cargo vessels to and from North Korea if states have “reasonable grounds” to believe they contain prohibited items.

A high-ranking South Korean official who spoke with Bosworth also said that while North Korea’s recently moves appear to be conciliatory, since North Korea has revealed that it continues to make progress in developing their nuclear capabilities, there does not appear to be a fundamental change in its attitude. The official also said South Korea has decided to continue working closely with relevant nations to maintain its keynote on bringing North Korea back to the six-party talks.

These statements from both Bosworth and the South Korean government official suggests that while North Korea has recently seemed open to a dialogue with the U.S. and South Korea, Washington and Seoul do not believe there has been a meaningful change concerning Pyongyang’s will to denuclearize. The statements also suggest a feeling that now is not the time to change the keynote of the “two track” policy promoting both simultaneous dialogue and sanctions based on UNSC Resolution 1874. The high-ranking South Korean official’s comments underscores that the Lee administration’s North Korea policy has changed.

South Korea and the U.S. also reportedly discussed a response to Pyongyang’s invitation to Bosworth to North Korea. A high-ranking South Korean official says although Bosworth is not currently thinking of visiting North Korea, if conditions materialize where such a visit would aid the situation, a trip is always possible rather than sending North Korea the wrong signal.

The official added that conditions must progress further for such bilateral North Korea-U.S. talks to take place. Meanwhile, Bosworth left open the possibility of a visit to North Korea and bilateral North Korea-U.S. talks, and emphasized that such a visit is not immediately possible. Attention is now focusing on North Korea’s response.

Bosworth arrived in South Korea on Friday and met with Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan, Unification Minister Hyun In-taek and Wi Sung-lac, six-party talks chief negotiator.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]