TCOG to continue to exist

South Korea, the United States and Japan agreed Monday to retain the Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group (TCOG), a three-way consultation channel on their engagement policies on North Korea, during a TCOG meeting at the Westin Chosun Hotel in downtown Seoul. TCOG was launched during the administration of former U.S. president Bill Clinton.

A government official said, ``The agreement is of significance in terms of continuity, not just the simple retention of the name.`` ``Seoul and Tokyo recommended to Washington that the three keep the name and the U.S. reportedly agreed after conducting its own review,`` he added.

In a statement released after the meeting, the three countries also reconfirmed their desire to maintain the North Korea-U.S. Geneva Agreement amid disputes over its revision or repeal since the inauguration of the Bush administration. They urged North Korea to participate in the process of taking necessary measures for the successful implementation of the agreement, the official said.

Boo Hyung-Kwon bookum90@donga.com