South Korean Minister Arrives in Japan

04/07/2006
Eric Talmadge, Washington Post

The Associated Press

TOKYO -- South Korea's deputy foreign minister arrived in Japan on Saturday to attend a security conference with other officials involved in the so-called "six-way talks" aimed at halting North Korea's development of nuclear weapons.

Though ostensibly here to attend the private security conference, the gathering of Chun Young-woo and the other top officials in Tokyo has raised hopes that they will be able to meet on the sidelines and jumpstart the stalled nuclear talks.

"I hope this will produce energy for the resumption and progress of talks," Chun said upon arrival at Tokyo's Haneda airport.

Last September, the North agreed in the six-party talks to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for aid and security guarantees. Since then, however, no progress has been made on implementing the accord.

The last round of the six-way talks broke down in November, with no date set for a new one.

But the U.S. Embassy announced last week that officials from the six countries _ the United States, China, Japan, Russia and the two Koreas _ would meet at the two-day security conference in Tokyo, which starts on Monday. Preliminary meetings for the forum, sponsored by the University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, begin Sunday.

North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan arrived Friday. Wu Dawei, China's top nuclear envoy, is scheduled to arrive on Sunday but will not attend the meeting, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alexeyev has been in Japan since Wednesday for previously scheduled talks, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill is to arrive on Monday. Representing Japan is Vice Foreign Minister Koji Tsuruoka.

On arrival, North Korea's Kim said he "would not reject" a request for bilateral talks with the U.S. on the sidelines of the conference.

But he did not sound optimistic of any breakthroughs.

"The U.S already knows what they should do to resume six-party talks," he said.

The U.S. Embassy, meanwhile, has said Hill had no plans for one-on-one meetings with the North Korean delegation.

Japan is reportedly hoping to play go-between if the two do not meet directly.

"If there is an opportunity, it is possible that we may meet to discuss issues between Japan and North Korea," Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said of meeting with the North Koreans.

Still, North Korea may be warming to renewed international dialogue. South Korea's Unification Ministry announced Friday that North and South Korea have agreed to restart high-level talks later this month in Pyongyang.