Diplomatic source in DC hints at Powell`s visit to Seoul in May

Reports say that Washington is arranging a visit of secretary of state Colin Powell to Seoul in May. A diplomatic source there told Korean correspondents that Powell is planning an Asian tour that would include Korea and Japan, but his possible stop in China remains undecided because of the recent dispute over the collision of a Chinese fighter with an American reconnaissance plane, which is still held in China. The source also said that a task force on North Korea chaired by an assistant secretary of state and a committee on proliferation are reviewing Washington`s North Korea policy, and they could produce final reports next month for higher-level approval.

Secretary Powell is expected to talk with Korean government officials on the basis of the reports for fine-tuning North Korea policies of the two allies, who have lately developed some discord following the establishment of the Bush White House. The North Korea task force and a proliferation committee in charge of weapons of mass destruction are made up of Korea specialists from the White House, the State Department, the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency.

Han Ki-Heung eligius@donga.com