The chief North Korean delegate to talks with South Korea hinted Tuesday he was unwilling to discuss an issue of vital concern to his hosts and their allies: North Korea’s suspected nuclear weapons program.
The comments by Kim Ryong Song, the North Korean delegate, raised doubts about whether South Korea would make any headway during the four-day talks in urging the North to drop its nuclear programs.
“Let’s not care about the situation surrounding us and concentrate on resolving internal issues,” Kim said.
He appeared to be referring to the talks’ original agenda, which includes inter-Korean reconciliation plans such as the construction of cross-border railways and roads.
North Korea has argued that the dispute about “the nuclear issue” is with the United States and does not involve other nations. The communist country says it will resolve Washington’s concerns if the United States signs a non-aggression pact and does not block the North’s economic development.
