Second Round of Six-Nation Talks to Be Held in Beijing Starting February 25

The second round of the six-nation talks, which is aimed at solving the North Korea nuclear problem, will be held in Beijing on February 25. South Korea, North Korea, the United States, Japan, China, and Russia will take part.

Quoting the Chosun Central News, the government-run Central Broadcasting of North Korea and the Pyongyang Broadcasting System reported on February 3 that “in accordance with the problem of holding the next round of the six-nation talks, we have discussed several times with the U.S. and China, the host nation, the possibility of holding the talks beginning February 25.”

According to this address, about six months after the first round of the six-nation talks, which were held from August 27 to 29 in 2003, the second round of the talks would begin.

Although the exact schedule of the talks has not been decided yet, it is expected that the talks will be held for 3 days from February 25 if the schedule of the first round is any indication.

“The government has passed on its standpoint to China that the second round of the talks would be better if they were held at Beijing from February 25 via a close negotiation among the relevant countries,” remarked Lee Su-hyuck, the assistant deputy foreign minister of Korea, who is in charge of the chief representative of Korea’s side in the talks. “The host country, China, will officially address the schedule.”

It is expected that nuclear dismantlement and a nuclear freeze in North Korea, as well as related measures to secure the safety of the North Korean regime to be implemented by the United States, will be discussed at the second round of the talks.

“The participating countries have discussed the measures to solve the problem so many times,” said assistant deputy minister Lee in accordance with the prospect of the talks. “Though all the problems will not be sorted out at the second round of the talks, the negotiation will become professional and practical if the working group is organized.”

It is known that government will nominate former presidential aide Cho Tae-yong, who has been tentatively decided on as the chief of North Korea nuclear task force in the foreign ministry, to be the deputy representative for the six-nation talks.

Young-Sik Kim Seung-Ryun Kim spear@donga.com srkim@donga.com