YONHAP NEWS

(LEAD) N. Korea, U.S. likely to hold multiple direct talks: expert

By Lee Chi-dong
JEJU ISLAND, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea and the United States are expected to lay the groundwork for top-level bilateral talks, probably involving Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, when President Barack Obama's special envoy visits Pyongyang next month, a South Korean expert said Friday.

   Nam Sung-wook, director of the Institute for National Security Strategy, pointed out that North Korea makes much of "diplomatic protocol" in reaching an important deal and views Washington's top diplomat as a real counterpart.

   "I am skeptical" that Stephen Bosworth, special representative for North Korean policy, will produce any tangible result in moving forward the denuclearization process, Nam said at a seminar here on North Korea. He is known as one of President Lee Myung-bak's security policy advisers.

   Bosworth is scheduled to fly into Pyongyang on Dec. 8 for what would be the first formal negotiations between the two sides under the Obama administration. The U.S. has not revealed other details on Bosworth's trip, although the envoy is widely expected to meet the North's Vice Foreign Minister Kang Sok-ju.

   The U.S. has stressed that Bosworth's mission will be limited to efforts to tempt Pyongyang back to the six-way nuclear talks also involving South Korea, China, Russia and Japan. North Korea said it would decide whether to rejoin the Beijing-based forum in accordance with the outcome of its bilateral talks with Washington.

   "The two sides may discuss various issues, but higher-level dialogue will be needed to confirm any decision," Nam said. "I do not expect any headline news from Amb. Bosworth's visit, but I would do so if other high-level talks are held."

   He added chances are high that the six-way talks will be resumed after Pyongyang and Washington hold one more dialogue in January or February next year.

   In late October, Ri Gun, the director of U.S. affairs at the North Korean Foreign Ministry, and Sung Kim, U.S. special envoy for the six-party talks, met in New York to prepare for Bosworth's trip.

   The U.S. magazine "Foreign Policy" reported that in the working-level meeting, the two sides agreed to hold two rounds of official bilateral talks.

   Nam said the current South Korean government will push for an inter-Korean summit someday.

   "For the conservative administration, it would be minus if the North Korean nuclear issue is not included on the agenda. It will be the number one agenda item," he said with regard to the conditions for the third round of inter-Korean summit. "The timing and venue also matter."

   South Korea will be preferred for the summit venue as the two previous ones were held in Pyongyang, he added, and the Lee administration will choose a date keeping in mind that the Roh Moo-hyun administration faced political criticism at home for holding a summit with the North during the final months in office.

   Nam refused to talk about a barrage of media reports that the two Koreas had a secret meeting in Singapore last month to discuss a possible summit. Government officials neither confirmed nor denied the reports.

  lcd@yna.co.kr
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