No Intent to Overthrow Kim Jong-il’s Regime

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly met Mitoji Yabunaka, Director General of the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau on November 17. They consulted about detailed proposals of security assurances for Pyongyang that will be presented at the second six-nation talks regarding the North Korean nuclear threat.

Japan`s Sankei Shimbun reported that proposals of security assurances conceived by the U.S. would be two to three sentences of, “The United States does not have any intent to invade North Korea or to overthrow Kim Jong-il’s regime.”

Kelly also met Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party Shinzo Abe to discuss deployment of the Self-Defense Forces in Iraq. Abe said, “Japan won’t settle the date of dispatch within this year. We will decide on the date and the place according to the law.” Japan has already suggested that they hold back the decision to dispatch their forces this year. Kelly is expected to visit Korea (November 19-21) via China (November 18-19).

Hun-Joo Cho hanscho@donga.com