North, South Korea meet for first time in 10 months

May 16, 2005, 10:13AM

North, South Korea meet for first time in 10 months

Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea  ?South Korea promised today to make a "substantial proposal" if North Korea returned to six-nation talks concerning its nuclear program and said the communist nation had raised tensions by preparing ingredients for atomic bombs.

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Meanwhile, U.S. national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, warned of unspecified action against North Korea if it carried out a nuclear test ?a position echoed by Japan.

The two Koreas met today for the first time in 10 months. Talks broke off in July after mass defections to South Korea from the North that Pyongyang labeled kidnappings.

The South's delegation to the two-day talks in the North Korean border town of Kaesong tried to coax the North back to the disarmament bargaining table but did not elaborate on what proposal they planned to offer, according to pool reports.

"If the six-party talks resume, it shouldn't be talks for the sake of talks, but substantial progress is necessary," delegation leader Vice Unification Minister Rhee Bong-jo said. "For this, the South side is preparing for a substantial proposal and will propose it to the related countries when the talks resume."

Pyongyang withdrew from the talks ?which also involve Japan, China, Russia and the United States ?and said it would not return until the United States dropped its "hostile" policy toward it. Washington repeatedly has said it has no intention of invading the North.

Last week, North Korea ratcheted up the issue by claiming it had completed removing spent fuel rods from a reactor at its main nuclear complex and said it would strengthen its nuclear arsenal.

U.S. officials then said spy satellites saw the digging of a tunnel and the construction of a reviewing stand at northeastern Kilju ?possible indications of an upcoming test. Hadley told CNN that the United States has "seen some evidence that says that they may be preparing for a nuclear test."

"Obviously, that would be a serious step, and it would require us to consult very closely with our colleagues on the six-party talks for what kind of response we should make," Hadley said.

He said a nuclear test "would be something where the North Koreans would be defying not only us, but our partners in the six-party talks, and action would ... have to be taken."

Shinzo Abe, secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said Tokyo would take the issue to the United Nations.

"It is unthinkable not to impose any sanctions in case of a nuclear testing," Abe said.

But South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Song Min-soon downplayed the prospects of a nuclear test.

"The reports that are coming out are artificial and groundless that have no specific evidence to back them up," Song said today in an interview with South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

The South's delegation commuted today to the first day of talks, which ended after six hours.

Rhee, who reported that North Korea listened to his points on the nuclear issue without comment, said the details of the South Korean proposal will be revealed in detail after consultations with the related countries.

The meeting coincides with efforts to resume the nuclear disarmament talks. Washington's top envoy in that dispute, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, met today with his South Korean counterparts.

"We are doing everything to get this six-party process going, and we really want to, but that does not mean we are not going to look eventually at other options," Hill told South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon.

Rhee said he would also use the talks this week to improve relations with the North. North Korea's chief delegate, Kim Man Gil, said the discussions were "vital" to regenerate ties.

The latest nuclear standoff with North Korea was sparked in late 2002 after U.S. officials accused the North of running a secret uranium enrichment program.

The North claimed in February to have nuclear weapons, and the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said recently that the country previously had enough plutonium for up to six atomic bombs