N. Korea Says Yes to Temporary Non-invasion Pact with the United States

At an unofficial meeting between North Korea and the United States, which took place on July 8th in New York City, North Korean delegates threatened to start nuclear bomb tests in the near future unless Washington conducts direct talks with Pyongyang, as reported in Japan’s Asahi Shinbum on Saturday.

North Korean deputy U.N. representative Han Sung-ryul told US delegate Jack Pritchard that North Korea would have to take measures in the near future if the United States continued trying to crush the isolated regime. As part of the "self-sustaining" efforts, Han alleged that North Korea could start nuclear tests.

When asked why the regime would take such a step, Han replied, "I am just relaying the policy of our country."

The United States reportedly informed the Japanese government of the remarks.

Citing a former official of the Clinton administration in charge of North Korea matters, the Asahi Shinbum also reported that the isolated regime might test its nuclear weapons some time before its Independence Day, which falls on September 9th.

Meanwhile, North Korea`s deputy minister of foreign affairs, Kim Kye-kwon, showed a positive response during a visit by a delegation of US congressmen led by Rep. Curt Weldon (Rep., Penn.), to a proposal that North Korea give up its nuclear ambition in return for Washington`s promise not to invade it for a certain period of time, the Japanese daily reported yesterday.

During the visit, the US delegation suggested that in return for Pyongyang`s total abandonment of its nuclear program, the United States would pledge publicly not to invade the North for one year, resume aid along with South Korea and Japan, which amounts to 3 to 5 billion dollars a year, and change the temporary pact into a permanent one by the second year. In response, Kim was quoted as saying, "The proposals are enough for us to give up our program. We feel they are a positive step in the right direction. You can relay my statement to the administration."

Hun-Joo Cho hanscho@donga.com