Wednesday, October 02, 2002
Jim Kelly is slated to visit the DPRK soon.
Agence France-Presse ("US ENVOY JAMES KELLY TO GO TO NORTH KOREA ON OCTOBER
3," 09/27/02) reported that the ROK welcomed the US decision to send a top
envoy to the DPRK next week to resume a dialogue that has been stalled for
nearly two years. "We welcome the resumption of dialogue between the North
and the United States," presidential spokeswoman Park Sun-Sook told
reporters here Friday. "We expect the two sides to resolve various pending
bilateral issues through dialogue. "We expect the dialogue will help
promote peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in the North East
Asian region." The White House announced Thursday that assistant secretary
of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs James Kelly would visit
Pyongyang from October 3-5 to resume talks stalled since President George
W. Bush took office in January 2001. Kelly will visit Seoul and Tokyo on
his way to Pyongyang and on his return from the North Korea capital,
officials said here. "The government will again convey our wish to see an
early improvement in North Korea-US ties, through consultation with Mr.
Kelly," a government official said. "On his way home, Mr Kelly will visit
Korea and Japan to brief on the outcome of his meetings with the North
Koreans." Kelly's visit will mark the first prolonged, high-level dialogue
between DPRK leader Kim Jong-Il and the Bush administration. The decision
to send Kelly follows a visit to Pyongyang last week by Japanese Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who urged Bush to reopen a negotiating track.
ROK President Kim Dae-Jung has also pushed for Washington's reengagement
with the DPRK as essential to his "Sunshine Policy."
European leaders have also pressured the US to reengage with the DPRK in a
political declaration adopted early this week at a meeting with Asian
leaders in Copenhagen. The White House said in a statement that Kelly's
brief was to "explain US policy and seek progress on a range of issues of
long-standing concern to the United States and the international community."
Whether this means a significant shift in U.S.-DPRK relations remains to be seen
3," 09/27/02) reported that the ROK welcomed the US decision to send a top
envoy to the DPRK next week to resume a dialogue that has been stalled for
nearly two years. "We welcome the resumption of dialogue between the North
and the United States," presidential spokeswoman Park Sun-Sook told
reporters here Friday. "We expect the two sides to resolve various pending
bilateral issues through dialogue. "We expect the dialogue will help
promote peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in the North East
Asian region." The White House announced Thursday that assistant secretary
of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs James Kelly would visit
Pyongyang from October 3-5 to resume talks stalled since President George
W. Bush took office in January 2001. Kelly will visit Seoul and Tokyo on
his way to Pyongyang and on his return from the North Korea capital,
officials said here. "The government will again convey our wish to see an
early improvement in North Korea-US ties, through consultation with Mr.
Kelly," a government official said. "On his way home, Mr Kelly will visit
Korea and Japan to brief on the outcome of his meetings with the North
Koreans." Kelly's visit will mark the first prolonged, high-level dialogue
between DPRK leader Kim Jong-Il and the Bush administration. The decision
to send Kelly follows a visit to Pyongyang last week by Japanese Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who urged Bush to reopen a negotiating track.
ROK President Kim Dae-Jung has also pushed for Washington's reengagement
with the DPRK as essential to his "Sunshine Policy."
European leaders have also pressured the US to reengage with the DPRK in a
political declaration adopted early this week at a meeting with Asian
leaders in Copenhagen. The White House said in a statement that Kelly's
brief was to "explain US policy and seek progress on a range of issues of
long-standing concern to the United States and the international community."
Whether this means a significant shift in U.S.-DPRK relations remains to be seen
