Roh Expects N. Korea to Provide Concessions in the Second Round of Six-Way Talks

As for the upcoming second round of six-way nuclear talks, President Roh Moo-hyun said on Monday that he expected North Korea to provide some concessions and that the six-party nuclear talks would go well, suggesting agreements between North Korea and the United States will be reached.

“North Korea has said several times that it would abandon its nuclear ambitions if its requirements were met. The problem is to what extent and in what order should the demands be met,” Roh said in a special interview with Maeil Business Newspaper to mark the one-year anniversary of his inauguration.

“We should take a step forward so that we could save each other’s face by reciprocating concessions,” said Roh, adding, “It is hard to predict a concrete agreement between the communist regime and the U.S, but it is clear that two parties will become a target of criticism if they leave the six-way nuclear talks without fruitful results.”

In the meanwhile, Unification Minister Chung Se-hyun said in a national policy committee with de-facto ruling Uri Party that Washington should demonstrate flexibility. If it does so, he added, the six-way nuclear talks can bring substantive outcomes. He also said he expected the U.S. to show flexibility in the upcoming talks, making a rosy prospect of the talks.

Jeong-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com