North Korean Nuke Talks to Resume Feb. 8

China, BEIJING Announces
International talks on dismantling North Korea's nuclear programs will resume on Feb. 8

China, Japan, Russia, the United States,
South Korea, and North Korea

BEIJING — International talks on dismantling North Korea's nuclear programs will resume Feb. 8, China said Tuesday, as Washington and Pyongyang began a new round of meetings over the North's alleged illicit financial dealings.

"North Korea has been saying (they want to resume talks) on Feb. 8. If the United States accepts it, it will be the eighth. Tomorrow, it will be announced conclusively," Kyodo News agency quoted Foreign Minister Taro Aso as saying in northern Japan Sunday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Joji Miyamori said he could not confirm the remarks as Aso was engaged in political rather ministerial activities over the weekend. Miyamori added that he was aware of recent media reports suggesting talks could resume in early February, but the ministry has not yet announced anything.

On Friday, Kyodo cited unidentified officials familiar with the negotiations as saying the participants in the talks — the two Koreas, China, Japan, the United States and Russia — were making final arrangements for a meeting Feb. 8 in Beijing.

The latest round in December — the first since North Korea's nuclear test in October — ended without progress due to a dispute over U.S. financial restrictions on the North over its alleged counterfeiting of $100 bills and money laundering.

However, hopes have increased that substantial progress can be achieved at the next session because North Korea has shown a positive response to U.S. concessions offered during bilateral talks in Berlin earlier this month.

Earlier Friday, Yonhap news agency reported that South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said the talks should be held before Feb. 10. Song is currently in Beijing for talks with Chinese officials on North Korea and other issues.

Russian nuclear envoy Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov has also said the most likely dates for a resumption of the talks are Feb. 5-8, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported Friday.

A Japanese Foreign Ministry official said he was aware of the reports but denied a date had been decided. An announcement may come soon, but officials are still making schedule arrangements, the official said on condition of anonymity, citing protocol. .

Officials have said they hope to hold the next round of talks before the Lunar New Year holiday, which falls on Feb. 18 this year.

Meanwhile, Daniel Glaser, the U.S. Treasury Department's deputy assistant secretary for terrorist financing and financial crimes, arrived in Beijing on Sunday to resume negotiations with his North Korean counterparts on the financial issue, China's official Xinhua News agency announced.

The new round of talks, which begin Tuesday, will follow up on previous discussions in December that were also held in Beijing.

Last Thursday .Korean -American Chamber of Commerce of Washington had year-end meeting with Dr. Kim Hyen Uk Topic: The North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Program in January 26, 2007, at the Federal Way Kokiri Restaurant. Dr. Kim Hyen Uk says that it is deeply concerned about the nuclear weapons program by North Korea. North Korea's Nuclear weapon that they possesses which will take 15 years to build to equip like North Korea's Nuk systems for South Korea. U. S has been a great defense for South Korea and the United Nations. It is hoping and pray that continues …Looks like that South Korea needs fully equipt with strong U.S. Millitary support and also needs C17s like Hummanitarian support and military-transport aircraft, the multi-service C-17 can carry large equipment, supplies and troops directly to small airfields in harsh terrain anywhere in the world day or night. The massive, sturdy, long-haul aircraft tackles distance, destination and heavy, oversized payloads in unpredictable conditions. Although South Korean just purchased $1.59 billion contract to provide four 737 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) systems for the Republic of Korea's EX program in Nov. 27, 2006.

Dr. Kim Hyen Uk is President, The Peace Forum for Foreign Policy and National Security and President, Korea Society of Nuclear Geopolitical Studies in South Korea.

UN secretary Ban Ki Moon's speech after taking his oath of office Dec. 14, 2006, He said he would work to build "a more peaceful, more prosperous and more just world for succeeding generations."

January 17, 2007, SEOUL, South Korea - The U.S. negotiator at North Korean nuclear talks will meet Wednesday with his North Korean counterpart in Germany for a second day, South Korea's foreign minister said. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill and the North's Kim Kye Gwan met in Berlin for several hours Tuesday, according to the U.S. State Department. South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon told reporters the two would meet again Wednesday.

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)

The nuclear disarmament talks _ which consist of the United States, China, the two Koreas, Japan and Russia should be held before Feb. 10, 2007, Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said without elaborating.

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.

References:

1) GlobalSecurity.org (Kim Jong-il )

2) Wikipedia

3) Korean Herald News.

4) Yahoo News

5) The Fox 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