NK, Germany to set up diplomatic ties

The German government will decide on the establishment of diplomatic relations with North Korea at a cabinet meeting this week, Japan's Sankei Newspaper reported Sunday, quoting a source at the German parliament.

North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam-Sun was sent to Berlin and German Vice Foreign Minister Rudger Polmer was dispatched to Pyongyang to discuss the issue. Since Germany was reunified in 1990, North Korea has operated a permanent mission in Berlin.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between North Korea and Germany, the core country of the European Union (EU), if realized, is expected to greatly affect Europe¡¯s future policy stance on North Korea.

On the issue of inter-Korean reunification, the source also said that North Korea had voiced its intention to push ahead with diplomacy and efforts to settle national defense concerns before attempting to solve remaining other matters one by one.