Informal Contact between North-South Representative Needed to Resume Six-Party Talks

At a National Press Conference on December 19, Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young, who is in Washington D.C., stated, “To hold the fifth six-party talks as early as possible, I have suggested an informal meeting of representatives of the six-party talks to North Korea.”

Minister Chung stressed, “I will both assert efforts for the resolution of the North Korea nuclear weapon issue and North-South cooperation projects with the goal of building an economic bloc on the Korean peninsula by 2020. The Gaeseong Industrial Complex is the symbol of this economic theory of peace.”

Perhaps considering the negative view Washington holds of the South Korean government’s policy towards North Korea’s human rights situation, Minister Chung added, “Though South Korea may not be openly criticizing North Korean human rights, it is making efforts to substantially enhance human rights more than any other nation.”

Meanwhile, the Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun reported on December 20 that China suggested holding the informal meeting of six-party representatives at Dandung City of Liaoning, which is near North Korea.

Seung-Ryun Kim srkim@donga.com