Korea Times
US presses NK to warm cross-border ties
By Kim Young-jin
The United States has pressed North Korea to look to inter-Korean ties after the death of its late ruler Kim Jong-il, a visiting U.S. official said Thursday, stressing it was the only way for the communist state to improve its relations with the outside world.
“We believe an essential component in an improving relationship with North Korea and the international community has to be an improvement in North-South relations,” Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs told reporters. “We have underscored it in our dialogue with North Korea.”
Campbell’s remarks came amid a flurry of diplomacy over the situation in North Korea as Kim Jong-un, the late ruler’s youngest son, takes over the leadership of the nuclear-armed country after his father’s death last month.
The diplomat met with Foreign Minister Kim Sung-whan and Lim Sung-nam, Seoul’s point man on the North’s nuclear program as well as other top officials to discuss the issue as well as bilateral matters.
Campbell, who arrived after a two day visit to China, said he pressed Beijing officials to compel the North, its ally, to exercise “restraint” as its new leadership consolidates power.
“In those meetings we called on China to….consult closely with us on developments in North Korea,” he told reporters. “We stressed that North Korea should take steps to improve relations with (South Korea) and abide by its international obligations and commitments.”
Though the power transition in Pyongyang has seemed to progress smoothly, many remained concerned over the possibility of instability in the country estimated to have several nuclear weapons.
Regional players have held intensive discussions including some on how to resume six-party denuclearization talks, seen as the best way to manage the North. The Kim Jong-il regime walked away from the forum in 2009 in response to United Nations sanctions for its nuclear and missile tests.
Pyongyang has said that it would not deal with the Lee Myung-bak administration, slamming it for not sending an official delegation to pay respects to Kim Jong-il. Such rhetoric has raised some concern that the North could be seeking bilateral engagement with Washington, leaving Seoul out of the loop.
Campbell, however, said the allies remained in lockstep.
“I underscored the strongest possible commitment of the United States to the enduring partnership between the United States and the Republic of Korea and the determination to be … tightly aligned as we together face a new leadership transition in North Korea,” he said.
Kim’s death came just as Washington had made a small but meaningful breakthrough, with Pyongyang reportedly agreeing to suspend its uranium enrichment program in return for 240,000 tons of food, during talks in Beijing.
Washington says it had contact with North Korean officials directly after the announcement on Dec. 19 of Kim’s death over the possible nutritional aid.
Analysts say players are eager to maintain stability in a year where Washington and Seoul hold presidential elections, Beijing undergoes a leadership change. Pyongyang meanwhile has promised to emerge as a “strong and prosperous” nation and could seek to gain aid from the talks. Japan and Russia also participate in the forum.
The diplomat said he had invited Foreign Minister Kim to Washington and that trilateral talks with Japan were also expected soon.
Campbell will arrive today in Japan for talks also expected to touch on the North.
Kim Jong-un has been touted by the North’s media as the supreme leader of the military and head of the ruling Workers' Party Central Committee. But experts say he must still work to earn official party and military titles he needs for unquestioned authority.
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/01/113_102338.html
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