N. Korea insists on U.S. troop withdrawal before arms reduction

North Korea claimed Monday that the U.S. forces stationed in South Korea should be withdrawn first for the arms reduction of South and North Korea.

In a commentary, Rodong Shinmun, the official organ of the North Korean Workers` Party, stated, ``If the U.S. really wants arms reduction and peace on the Korean peninsula, it should take a practical measure of pulling out its forces occupying South Korea before discussing the issue of cutting our conventional weapons.``

It further stated that the withdrawal of the U.S. forces ``is the core issue in the current North Korea-U.S. relations. The question of reducing arms of the North and the South will be tackled, corresponding to the progress of the `federation unification formula` after the U.S. forces completely withdraw from South Korea.``

Radio Pyongyang also reported Tuesday that North Korean residents abroad ``are raising their voices that we have to remove U.S. forces, the obstacle of the unification of the fatherland, from South Korea and achieve unification by the force of the people themselves.`` Overseas Koreans the state-run radio cited in its report included Yang Eun-Sik, standing committee chairman of the U.S. regional headquarters of the PomMinRyon or Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification, and Mun Tae-Hwan, chairman of the Korean Youth Federation in China.

Kim Young-Sik spear@donga.com