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DATE=5/17/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249474
TITLE=U-S / KOREA (L)
BYLINE=KYLE KING
DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:   THE UNITED STATES HAS ANNOUNCED IT IS DONATING AN 
ADDITIONAL 400 THOUSAND TONS OF FOOD AID TO NORTH KOREA.  
SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT 
DURING TALKS WITH VISITING SOUTH KOREAN FOREIGN MINISTER HONG 
SOON YOUNG.  FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT, VOA'S KYLE KING REPORTS.
TEXT:   MS. ALBRIGHT USED HER TALKS WITH FOREIGN MINISTER HONG TO
REAFFIRM THE U-S COMMITMENT TO THE DEFENSE OF SOUTH KOREA.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT, MS. ALBRIGHT SAYS 
SHE AND MR. HONG ALSO USED THEIR TALKS TO DISCUSS NORTH KOREA AND
THE OVERALL SITUATION ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA.
                       // ALBRIGHT ACT //
         I INFORMED THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF THE U-S DECISION TO 
         DONATE 400 THOUSAND METRIC TONS OF EMERGENCY 
         HUMANITARIAN FOOD AID TO THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM FOR 
         NORTH KOREA IN RESPONSE TO THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM'S 
         APRIL APPEAL.
                          // END ACT //
THE DONATION WILL BE IN ADDITION TO ABOUT 200 THOUSAND TONS OF 
U-S FOOD AID ALREADY PLEDGED TO NORTH KOREA, WHICH HAS BEEN 
SUFFERING FROM A SERIES OF CROP FAILURES AND SHORTAGES.
FOREIGN MINISTER HONG SAID HE AND MS. ALBRIGHT ALSO DISCUSSED THE
ONGOING REVIEW OF U-S POLICY TOWARD NORTH KOREA NOW BEING CARRIED
OUT BY FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY.
MR. HONG EXPRESSED HOPE THAT MR. PERRY WOULD SOON TRAVEL TO 
PYONGYANG CARRYING A PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS AIMED AT EASING COLD 
WAR TENSIONS ON THE DIVIDED PENINSULA.
                         // HONG ACT //
         IT IS A PACKAGE OF INCENTIVES AND DISINCENTIVES, A 
         PACKAGE OF CARROTS AND STICKS.  I HOPE NORTH KOREA WILL 
         FIND IT ATTRACTIVE ENOUGH TO RESPOND POSITIVELY.
                          // END ACT //
THE FOREIGN MINISTER SAID HE THOUGHT A TRIP TO PYONGYANG BY MR. 
PERRY WOULD BE A MILESTONE EVENT IN THE HISTORY OF INTER-KOREAN 
RELATIONS.
MS. ALBRIGHT SAID NO DATE FOR ANY VISIT BY MR. PERRY HAD BEEN 
SET, BUT THAT HE WOULD BE WILLING TO GO UNDER WHAT SHE CALLED THE
RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES.  NORTH KOREA RECENTLY AGREED TO ALLOW U-S 
INSPECTORS TO VISIT A SUSPECTED UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR SITE.  THOSE 
INSPECTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN THE COMING DAYS.  (SIGNED)
NEB/KBK/KL
17-May-99 2:27 PM EDT (1827 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.