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North Korean ambassador to the UN

By Park Hyun, Washington correspondent and Seong Yeon-cheol, Beijing correspondent

North Korean first vice minister of the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kim Kye-kwan, who is currently on a trip to China, reiterated North Korea’s recent appeals for dialogue on June 21, saying that Pyongyang “welcomes dialogue of any form, including the six-party talks.” But shortly after this, Sin Son-ho, North Korean ambassador to the UN, made comments of a rather different tenor in New York.

“North Korea has already proposed high-level talks to the US,” Sin said. “It is our sincere intention to hold talks. At these talks, we can talk about a wide variety of agenda items, including ways to make a world that is free of nuclear weapons as the US itself has often advocated. We are waiting for the American decision about our proposal for talks.”

“Denuclearization is our final objective,” the ambassador continued. “We are not opposed to denuclearization. However, it must not be unilateral. Not only North Korea, but also South Korea, must be included.” The North’s argument is that the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula that was agreed upon in the September 19 Joint Statement of 2005 must represent denuclearization of the entire Korean peninsula, including Washington’s nuclear policy there.

Sin also called for the UN military command to be dissolved and for sanctions against the North to be suspended. “Dismantling the UN military command is a critical requirement for relieving tensions on the Korean peninsula and in the Asia-Pacific region and for guaranteeing peace and safety,” he said.

Earlier on the same day, Kim Kye-gwan met with Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi, in Beijing. “Denuclearization of the Korean peninsula was the dying wish of former North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il,” Kim said. “North Korea desires an improvement in the situation on the Korean peninsula and wants to take part in dialogue of any format, including the six-party talks.”

“China holds to its position that the issues of bringing about denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and achieving peace and stability on the Korean peninsula must be brought about through dialogue and negotiation,” Yang said, according to a report by Chinese wire service Xinhua News. “Currently, the situation on the Korean peninsula is moving in the right direction, but it is still complicated and sensitive. Every party involved must continue to work actively to resume the six-party talks in a prompt manner through dialogue and contact.”

The US government brushed aside Sin’s arguments, saying that the UN command would continue to be stationed in South Korea and that the US-led sanctions against the North would remain in place.

During the regular press briefing on June 21 EST, Patrick Ventrell, deputy spokesperson for the US Department of State, acknowledged that he had not seen the press conference with the North Korean ambassador to the UN. Nevertheless, he stated that “the UN command is something that’s been there [in Korea] for many years and will continue to be” and that “our sanctions will continue.”

When asked about Sin’s statement that US hostility could lead to war at any time, Ventrell said that “those are things that we’ve heard them, the regime, say before,” seeming untroubled by the remarks.

On June 20, Daniel Russel, nominee for Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs at the US State Department, said that he would make a concerted effort to bring about verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula if he is approved for the position by the US Senate.

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