Korea-US North Korea Nuclear Representatives "Discuss Humanitarian Aid"‥Officials Say "Dialogue Needed to Address All Denuclearization Issues"

Emphasis on Dialogue Initiation in the Report on Yongbyon Nuclear Facility Operation

No Kyu-duk, Head of the Korean Peninsula Peace Negotiation Headquarters (right), and Sung Kim, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, are announcing the results after concluding senior-level talks on North Korea's nuclear issue at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 23rd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Sung Kim, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, discussed humanitarian aid to North Korea with the South Korean side and urged a response from North Korea. This is interpreted as a clear stance on dialogue despite analyses suggesting that North Korea appears to have started operating the Yongbyon nuclear facility.

On the 30th (local time), after consultations with Noh Kyu-duk, Director General of the South Korean Peace Negotiation Office for the Korean Peninsula, who is visiting the U.S., Representative Sung Kim said, "We exchanged various ideas and plans, including the possibility of humanitarian aid."

Representative Kim added, "We reaffirmed our commitment to pursuing the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through diplomacy. We look forward to a response from North Korea."

Director General Noh also emphasized that South Korea and the U.S. have been discussing areas of humanitarian aid projects toward North Korea that can be jointly promoted, as well as inter-Korean cooperation projects, and that close consultations will continue.

Representative Kim did not comment on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report released a day earlier, which raised the possibility of the Yongbyon nuclear facility being operational.

Instead, Director General Noh stated only that "the government has been closely monitoring North Korea's WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction)-related activities under close South Korea-U.S. coordination."

He added, "In today's consultations, South Korea and the U.S. shared the recognition that the North Korean nuclear issue is an urgent task to be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue while maintaining stability on the Korean Peninsula."

The IAEA, in its annual report published on the 27th, analyzed that there were indications consistent with the operation of the 5MW (megawatt) reactor within the Yongbyon nuclear facility since early last month.

A senior U.S. government official, when asked by Asia Economy for comments on the IAEA report, said, "We are aware of the report and are closely coordinating with allies and partners regarding the situation in North Korea," adding, "We will continue to seek dialogue with North Korea to address the activities reported by the IAEA and all issues related to denuclearization."

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