US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly Heads for Beijing

Despite North Korea`s announcement of reprocessing nuclear rods, three-way talks, involving North Korea, the US and China, on Pyongyang`s nuclear weapons program are likely to be held as planned from April 23 in Beijing.

USA Today reported April 20 by quoting a senior official at the Bush administration that US chief negotiator James Kelly, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, would leave for Beijing on April 21 to attend the meeting.

On his arrival at Washington, Han Sung-joo, South Korea`s new ambassador to the US, said that the meeting would be held as scheduled. Furthermore, an official at Korean embassy at the US also said that the US delegation would participate the planned three-way talks without issuing a statement.

On the agenda at the meeting, Lee Soo-hyuck, Assistant Deputy of Foreign Ministry, said April 21, “When the meeting begins, the US will emphasize the issue of including South Korea and Japan to future talks as part of a multilateral framework. At the meeting, the three parties are likely to deliver their positions.”

Meanwhile, USA Today predicted that although the US and North Korea head into their first high-level talks in six months this week, expectations for a nuclear resolution are minimal.

As for South Korea`s part, the government is planning to send high-level government officials to Beijing during the three-way talks to coordinate policies with the US and China. After the end of the meeting, the South Korean delegation will be briefed on the results of the meeting.

Meanwhile, the North Korea`s Central News Agency initially posted an announcement in English on April 18, “We are successfully reprocessing more than 8,000 spent fuel rods at the final phase.” However, it later changed its translation, “We are successfully going forward to reprocess spent fuel rods.”

The North`s move to change English translation of its announcement can be interpreted that the North is concerned about harsh criticisms from the international community for its announcement and that it tries to send a message to the outside world that its reactors are only getting to the point where it could be turned on.

maypole@donga.com spear@donga.com