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DATE=9/9/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238339
TITLE=KOREA TALKS (L)
BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN
DATELINE=SEOUL, KOREA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  OFFICIALS FROM SOUTH KOREA, JAPAN, AND THE UNITED STATES 
WILL MEET NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS A RANGE OF ISSUES RELATED TO 
COMMUNIST NORTH KOREA.  FROM SEOUL, JOHN LARKIN REPORTS THE 
NORTH'S RECENT LAUNCH OF A MISSILE WILL BE NEAR THE TOP OF THE 
AGENDA.
TEXT:  NORTH KOREA SAYS THE AUGUST 31ST MISSILE LAUNCH PUT ITS 
FIRST SATELLITE INTO SPACE, BUT SOUTH KOREA, JAPAN, AND THE 
UNITED STATES SAY THE LAUNCH WAS A WEAPONS TEST. 
THE THREE ALLIES WILL MEET IN WASHINGTON ON SEPTEMBER 14TH TO 
DISCUSS SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF THE LAUNCH.  THEY ARE ALSO 
PREPARING TO REFER THE LAUNCH OVER JAPANESE TERRITORY TO THE U-N 
SECURITY COUNCIL.
SOUTH KOREA'S FOREIGN MINISTER HONG SOON-YONG LEFT (WEDNESDAY) 
FOR WASHINGTON DISCUSS THE ISSUE WITH U-S SECRETARY OF STATE 
MADELEINE ALBRIGHT.  THE SEPTEMBER 14TH MEETING COMES AMID FEARS 
PYONGYANG IS PLANNING A SECOND MISSILE LAUNCH.  THE POSSIBILITY 
HAS SENT SHOCKWAVES THROUGH SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN WHICH ARE BOTH 
EXTREMELY VULNERABLE TO NORTH-KOREAN MISSILES.
BUT THE UNITED STATES IS THREATENED AS WELL.  THIS WEEK, SOUTH 
KOREA'S UNIFICATION MINISTER, KANG IN-TOK, POINTED OUT THE TEST 
FIRING OF THE MISSILE MEANS U-S SUPPORT BASES IN THE PACIFIC ARE 
WITHIN THE NORTH'S REACH.
WASHINGTON, TOKYO, AND SEOUL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO VERIFY 
PYONGYANG'S CLAIM THE ROCKET SENT NORTH KOREA'S FIRST SATELLITE 
INTO SPACE.  THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN HOLDING TALKS WITH NORTH 
KOREA IN NEW YORK SINCE AUGUST 21ST, AND TUESDAY REPORTED 
PROGRESS IN DISCUSSIONS TOUCHING ON THE MISSILE LAUNCH.
THE DISCUSSIONS ACHIEVED AGREEMENT TO RESUME FULL-PARTY PEACE 
TALKS -- WHICH WERE STALLED IN MARCH AFTER NORTH KOREA DEMANDED 
THE UNITED STATES WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS FROM SOUTH KOREA. 
NEWS REPORTS IN SEOUL SAY THE TWO SIDES HAD AGREED ON WAYS TO 
REDUCE THE THREAT POSTED BY PYONGYANG'S MISSILE TECHNOLOGY, AND 
TO REMOVE NORTH KOREA FROM THE LIST OF COUNTRY'S SPONSORING 
TERRORISM.   (SIGNED)
NEB/JL/TMD-T/RAE
09-Sep-98 11:31 AM EDT (1531 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.