Deputy Director Lee Geun, North Korean Deputy Delegate of Six-Way Talks, Will Visit U.S. in August

Quoting a U.S. government source, the Japanese Asahi Shimbun reported on July 22 that the North Korean deputy delegate of the six-way talks and also the deputy director of the Foreign Ministry, Lee Geun, will visit the U.S. in early August.

Noting the deputy director’s visit to the U.S. following North Korean Ambassador to the U.N. Park Gil-yeon’s visit to Washington, it can be interpreted that the reason why contact between North Korea and the U.S. has become more vigorous recently stems from the George W. Bush administration putting more weight on trying to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue.

Starting from August 9, Deputy Director Lee is planning to stay in New York for several days in order to attend the international conference held by the National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP), a private organization that invites government authorities from the member countries of the six-way talks.

At this conference, it is likely that an unofficial meeting will take place between North Korea and the U.S. authorities as the U.S. deputy delegate of the six-way talks, Joseph DeTrani, special envoy for peace in the Korean Peninsula, is planning to attend as well.

Deputy Director Lee and Special Envoy DeTrani are each representatives of North Korea and the U.S., respectively, for the working group of the six-way talks.

The Asahi Shimbun projected that it is possible for a preliminary leveling, prepared for the fourth round of the six-way talks which appear they will be held in September, to take place during this visit.

On the other hand, it was found that U.S. Congressman Kurt Weldon (Republican), who visited North Korea last year in the spring but was denied from visiting again in the fall following opposition from the White House, will go to North Korea before the U.S. presidential elections in November.

Won-Jae Park parkwj@donga.com