Six-way Talk Likely to Take Place Early Next Month in Beijing

A South Korean government official confirmed yesterday that the six-way talk is likely to take place early next month in Beijing, where the two Koreas, China, Japan, the United States and Russia will take part to resolve the current tension on the Korean peninsular over North Korea`s nuclear ambition.

The official told reporters yesterday afternoon, "Nothing is decided yet. We don`t know when and where to hold the meeting, and how the one-to-one talk between Pyongyang and Washington is to take place. But it is highly possible the talk will initially take place in early September in Beijing."

As to the direct notification by the North to the South of its acceptance of the multilateral talk, "In the past, the North informed us of its decisions mostly through unofficial channel," continued the official. "It`s unprecedented, and conveys a significant meaning to us."

On the other hand, the North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson issued a statement yesterday, and argued in the statement, "The talk between the North and the United States will take place in the very near future in Beijing. America has insisted on the multilateral approach. The upcoming meeting, therefore, will test the real intent of the United States and the world will see whether it sincerely intends to change its policy position toward us." The spokesman further elaborated on the meeting and said, "Through a series of meetings held recently in New York, we made a bold proposal to the Bush administration for a no-frills six-way talk in Beijing, and a one-to-one talk between Americans and us within the frame. In return, the United States gave up on its previous position and agreed to our proposal."

Seung-Ryun Kim srkim@donga.com