Minister Says Six-Party Talks Fragile

Minister Says Six-Party Talks Fragile Song Describes NK as Unpredictable

By Lee Jin-woo Staff Reporter Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Song Min-soon on Wednesday described the ongoing efforts to dismantle[각주]무장해제하다[/각주] North Korea's nuclear weapons program as ``fragile.'' Song also called the North an unpredictable state[각주]call A B[/각주] that causes constant headaches. ``It took a lot of time for us to come up with the Feb. 13 agreement reached at last month's six-party talks, but it's still a fragile process,'' he was quoted as saying[각주]~라고 말한것으로 전해졌다.[/각주] during an alumni gathering of Seoul National University. He said, ``I called it fragile since North Korea is unpredictable and they have given us splitting[각주]very painful[/각주] headaches,'' according to a ranking ministry officials who asked not to be named. Song's remarks came a day after the North refused to take part in the ongoing six-party talks until $25 million frozen in a Macau bank is released even after the United States made it clear that the 19-month dispute over the frozen funds had been resolved earlier this week. An expert on diplomatic and North Korean affairs in Seoul said the minister's remarks reflect his negative view toward[각주]~에 관한 관점이라는 표현으로 view 다음에 toward가 옴[/각주] the communist North. ``It's nothing new. He used to make such remarks showing his distrust of the North, but has rarely spoken against Pyongyang since he took office last December,'' the expert said on condition of anonymity[각주]익명[/각주]. Song called on all countries involved in the six-party talks to pay keen attention to monitor and proceed with the nuclear disarmament[각주]핵무기 감축[/각주]. ``The Sept. 19 joint statement was a planning outline, but last month's agreement was the first specifications to actually carry out the plan,'' he was quoted as saying. He said as a diplomat he is destined[각주]운명을 결정짓다[/각주] to make a choice between disasters and unpalatable[각주]입에맞지않는, 불쾌한[/각주] options to resolve the dispute, although both options are not satisfactory. He stressed the need to take a comprehensive approach toward resolving the nuclear issue in that the North's nuclear ambition is based on security and economic as well as the North's own internal reasons. ``Instead of just trying to get rid of the nuclear weapons program, just like performing surgery, we should take more comprehensive approach to resolve the nuclear issue,'' he said. A close aide[각주]측근[/각주] to the minister explained later in the day that the minister's remark should not be considered serious, but an expression implying that ``the North is not an easy to negotiate with.'' In the six-party talks last month, Pyongyang agreed to shut down and seal for the purpose of the eventual abandonment[각주]포기[/각주] its Yongbyon nuclear facility, including the reprocessing facility, and invite back IAEA inspectors in exchange for an energy aid equivalent of one million tons of heavy fuel oil.