US Expects Contact with N.K

The US expected to contact North Korea in the near future Philip Reeker, the deputy spokesman of the US State Department said in a briefing Wednesday.

Asked if a planned visit of a US envoy to North Korea was premature, he answered that the visit to North Korea had never been fixed, adding that the department is exploring ways to move forward.

A US envoy`s visit to the hermit kingdom was originally scheduled for mid June.

He also said that the department is seeking a dialogue with North Korea and expecting to contact the Stalinist nation, citing President Bush`s proposal of a comprehensive dialogue to North Korea last year.

Meanwhile Kyodo News quoted US State Secretary, Colin Powell as saying that the US is planning to resume talks with North Korea late this month.

The news came at a press conference held before the G8 summit in Whistler, Canada.

But he declined to elaborate the details such as the venue for the talks.

Talks between the US and North Korea have been in the doldrums since January, 2001, when US President George W. Bush was sworn in.

The US is expected to discuss measures to resume talks with North Korea at the Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group (TCOG) meeting with South Korea and Japan on June 18 in San Francisco, USA.

Ki-Heung Han eligius@donga.com