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Every country has its role, including the North, advisor says
Song Min-soon, top presidential security advisor, said on September 18 that "there is a role only South Korea can take" in resolving the North Korea nuclear issue. "While it is difficult to reveal details, an operation is currently underway" based on South Korea’s unique role, Song told an MBC radio program. On September 20, Chun Young-woo, South Korea’s top negotiator to the next round of six-party talks to resolve the North Korea nuclear issue, will leave for New York to discuss details of the ‘joint comprehensive approach’ with his U.S. counterpart Christopher Hill. After this, South Korea, the U.S., and Japan plan to meet for a consultation. "From one point of view, a [joint comprehensive approach] should be effected. From the other point of view, however, it is our work to include certain possible things and exclude impossible ones," Song said."Let me compare the process with building a house. Now, the frame is completed and the process is underway to decide how many rooms there will be," Song said. Asked whether the approach includes a measure to coax North Korea back to the six-nation talks, Song said, "Instead of trying to coax North Korea, there are jobs that North Korea should do. In addition, there are jobs that we, the U.S., and other nations should do." Related to a remark by North Korea’s No. 2 man Kim Young-nam that North Korea will not return to the six-way talks if the U.S. maintains its sanctions against the North, Song said, "It’s [just] a remark that has been said. This kind of matter isn’t negotiated publicly, and public remarks and real work are not necessarily the same thing." Song ruled out the possibility of the U.S. lifting its sanctions on Banco Delta Asia. "There are several steps involved in thawing ice. Breaking, heating...such steps encompass the process necessary to make ice into water." Song added, "The process won’t be carried out one-sidedly. I think a mutual process is needed to thaw the ice," referring to the chilled relations between North Korea and the other five nations to the talks. Asked whether there would be a potential deadline attached to the ’joint comprehensive approach,’ Song said, "There’s no deadline, but it’s better to do things as soon as possible. Each nation is in agreement that we should not wait infinitely." Regarding a previously planned move to send former president Kim Dae-jung to North Korea as a special envoy, Song said the government is not currently considering the matter, adding that the government does not regard North Korea’s nuclear standoff as a crisis.
