Korea, US to Solidify Approach to North

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200609/kt2006092017282811990.htm



Korea, US to Solidify[각주]확실히하다[/각주] Approach to North

   

By Park Song-wu

Staff Reporter



South Korea hopes a meeting of nuclear negotiators from Seoul and Washington in New York will give shape to what is ambiguously[각주]모호하게(몇 가지로 해석되는)[각주] called a common and broad approach to resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, a senior government official said on Wednesday.



The remarks[각주]언급[/각주] were made by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Lee Kyu-hyung hours after Chun Yung-woo, Seoul's top nuclear envoy[각주]사절[/각주], left for New York to attend the meeting with his U.S. counterpart, Christopher Hill.



They will discuss follow-up[각주]추가의[/각주] measures to the agreement reached between President Roh Moo-hyun and President George W. Bush in Washington, D.C. on Sept 14 to take a ``common and broad approach'' to peacefully resolve the North's nuclear standoff.



But the approach has been criticized in Seoul as officials in both countries did not explain the contents of it.



Lee did not spill the beans[각주]비밀을 누설하다[/각주] either.



``We hope (Chun and Hill) will specify the approach,'' Lee said. ``If the meeting brings about[각주]성취하다[/각주] some results, we hope a consultation[각주]회의[/각주] process will begin with the other six-party talks participants.''



The denuclearization dialogue[각주]대담[/각주] _ attended by the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan _ has been in limbo[각주]돌아보는 사람 없는(망각된) 상태[/각주]since November when Pyongyang boycotted it, citing Washington's financial sanctions.



As for the U.S. plan to hold a meeting of 10 countries to discuss the North's nuclear programs on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Lee expected it to be held this week.



``We will attend the meeting,'' he said. ``But as I said before, it is not designed to replace the six-party talks.''



Beijing recently said it will not attend the meeting in New York, saying related countries should focus on how to jumpstart[각주]밀어서 시동을 걸다[/각주] the six-party talks.



Before leaving for the United States, Chun told reporters that he thinks the meeting with Hill is a ``valuable'' chance to make a breakthrough[각주]비약적 전진[/각주] in the North Korean nuclear issue.



Chun, however, said ``my heart is heavy'' when he thinks of the meeting.



As for the common and broad approach, he said, ``Now we will discuss how to give body and substance[각주]내용, 골자[/각주] to the frame.''



Seoul apparently[각주]외관성[/각주] wants Washington to put more weight on diplomacy than sanctions for reviving the six-party talks but Washington seems determined to go ahead with its efforts to put pressure on the Stalinist North.



Answering a request to confirm whether Roh asked U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in their meeting last week to conclude Washington's investigation on North Korea's illegal financial activities, Lee flatly said, ``No.''



In September last year, the United States blacklisted Banco Delta Asia (BDA) in Macau as a primary money-laundering concern for allegedly helping North Korea launder counterfeit[각주]위조[/각주] U.S. bills.



The U.S. government is still investigating the BDA and Pyongyang's alleged financial illegalities.



``President Roh did mention about the speed of the investigation in line with his idea that it is necessary to harmonize[각주]~을 조화시키다[/각주] Washington's efforts to conduct legal enforcement and to resume the six-party talks,'' Lee said. ``But he did not ask Mr. Paulson to stop the investigation.''