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Christopher Hill, the top US nuclear envoy on the North Korean denuclearisation stated that North Korea may be dragging its feet on fully declaring its nuclear activities for fear of revealing hidden programs that would invite further scrutiny1. With regard to the disablement process however, during a visit to South Korea on January 8, Ambassador Hill expressed his satisfaction noting that it had gone well. He added that some of the things that held up the disablement were safety and technical issue and not related to any negotiation aspects2.
In other news, Lee Myung-bak, the South Korean President-elect on January 14 expressed his willingness to meet with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il anytime if it could help persuade North Korea to abandon his nuclear weapons programs3.
- 1. “US envoy says NKorea possibly holding off on nuclear declaration for fear of scrutiny,” International Herald Tribune, January 11, 2008, at http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=9144649
- 2. “Christopher R. Hill, Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs: Comments Upon Arrival in South Korea,” January 8, 2008, at htttp://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/rm/2008/01/98871.htm
- 3. Choe Sang-Hun, “South Korea Proposes Meeting With North,” The New York Times, January 15, 2008, at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/world/asia/15korea.html?sq=nuclear&scp...