America, “Hopes to Present the North Korea Nuclear Problem to the UN Security Council.”

The US Secretary of State Collin Powell stated on the 19th (local time) that America wanted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to present the North Korean Nuclear problem to the UN Security Council in the near future.

The Secretary Powell appeared in CNN before the Foreign Ministers` Conference of the Security Council member countries held in New York on the 20th to discuss about the North Korean nuclear situation and Iraq problems and said like that.

In relation to this, a high-ranking officer of the State Department explained, “Our next step is to take the North Korean nuclear problem from the IAEA to the UN, and we do not think there is any objection in the IAEA.”

The US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said that day, “North Korea is the biggest spreader of ballistic missiles in the world,” and “the danger of them to the world is that they will spread nuclear weapons and nuclear materials to other countries.”

In relation to this, the North Korean consul general in Hong Kong, Lee, Do-Sup stated during an interview with Myongbo of Hong Kong on the 20th, “Although America is invading us, we can defeat the enemies,” and “we cannot attack Korea to fight with America.”

He said, “South Korea is a one race and one country with us, and we are sharing same language and culture,” and “we do not need to damage the relationship with South Korea.”

In the meantime, the Kyoto press reported quoting the Itar-Tass Press that the Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexander Losyukov met the National Defense Commission Chairman, Kim, Jung-Il on the 20th and discussed with him about the general suggestion of Russia to solve the nuclear problem. It is the first time for the Chairman Kim to meet a high-ranking officer of a foreign country since North Korea`s withdrawing from the NPT.

sechepa@donga.com