North Korean Nuke Talks to Resume Feb. 8, Today


Photo Description:
South Korea's EX Airborne Early Warning and Control Program
Photo Credit: Boeing Photo

NKorea Ready to Discuss Nuke Disarmament
By BURT HERMAN, Associated Press Writer

BEIJING — International talks on North Korea's nuclear program resumed Thursday after Pyongyang's envoy said he was ready to discuss initial steps toward nuclear disarmament, raising hopes for the first tangible progress at the talks since they began more than three years ago.

"We are prepared to discuss first-stage measures," North Korean nuclear envoy Kim Kye Gwan said on arriving in Beijing for the six-nation negotiations, which began later Thursday at a Chinese state guesthouse.

American experts who visited Kim in Pyongyang last week said North Korea would propose a freeze of its main nuclear reactor and a resumption of international inspections in exchange for energy aid and a normalization of relations with Washington.

Kim said Thursday that any moves by North Korea would depend on the United States' attitude.

"We are going to make a judgment based on whether the United States will give up its hostile policy and come out toward peaceful coexistence," he said, adding that the U.S. was "well aware" of what it had to do. North Korea has twice boycotted the nuclear talks for more than a year, claiming various U.S. policies show the Bush administration intends to topple its communist government.
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Last week, China, BEIJING Announced International talks on dismantling North Korea's nuclear programs will resume on Feb. 8, China said two weeks ago Tuesday, as Washington and Pyongyang began a new round of meetings over the North's alleged illicit financial dealings.

On October 9, 2006, the North Korean government issued an announcement that it had successfully conducted a nuclear test for the first time. Both the United States Geological Survey and Japanese seismological authorities detected an earthquake with a preliminary estimated magnitude of 4.2 on the Richter scale in North Korea, corroborating some aspects of the North Korean claims. Within days, both the United States and China reported collecting air samples from the region that contained small amounts of radioactive material as well as seismic data showing a possible subterranean explosion, consistent with North Korea's claim that it had conducted a nuclear test.

During the Clinton administration, the U.S. and North Korea signed the Agreed Framework following a U.S. military buildup near the country, with the U.S. considering bombing the active Yongbyon nuclear reactor. (2)

It is recalling that South Korea Announed in Nov. 27, 2006 for signing of a $1.59 billion contract to provide four 737 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) systems for the Republic of Korea's EX program which will gives "The 737 AEW&C system gives the Republic of Korea a powerful capability for airborne surveillance, communications and battle management. It also provides increased security for the Korean peninsula against today's threats and those in the future," said Jim Albaugh, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.

The Noth Korea's nuclear weapon is growing the fears with no progress has been made in implementing that agreement, and in October, North Korea tested a nuclear weapon, drawing strong criticism from U.S. , South Korea and the world leaders but hoping and pray to resolve with six parties talk in Feb. 8th, 2007, today.

References:

1) GlobalSecurity.org (Kim Jong-il )

2) Wikipedia

3) Korean Herald News.

4) Yahoo News

7) The Boeing AEW&C Solution

8) Announcement on Resuming Six-Party North Korean Nuke Talks Coming on Monday, Japanese Envoy Says

9)Korea AMS Topographic Maps

10) Korean American Chamber of Commerce Year End Meeting with Dr. Kim Hyen Uk, President, The Peace Forum for Foreign Policy and National Security and President, Korea Society of Nuclear Geopolitical Studies

11) Boeing Signs Contract for Korea's EX Airborne Early Warning and Control Program