DATE=5/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249804
TITLE=N. KOREA / U-S (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: WASHINGTON'S TOP ADVISOR ON NORTH KOREA WAS SCHEDULED TO
MEET WEDNESDAY WITH LEADERS IN PYONGYANG. JOHN LARKIN REPORTS
FROM SEOUL THAT WILLIAM PERRY ALSO HOPES TO MEET NORTH KOREA'S
TOP OFFICIAL -- KIM JONG IL.
TEXT: MR. PERRY IS THE MOST SENIOR U-S OFFICIAL TO VISIT THE
NORTH SINCE THE KOREAN WAR ENDED IN A TRUCE 46 YEARS AGO. HE IS
SAID TO BE CARRYING A PERSONAL LETTER FROM PRESIDENT CLINTON TO
KIM JONG IL. SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM DAE JUNG SAID IN AN
INTERVIEW LAST WEEK, MR. PERRY WILL PROPOSE A PACKAGE OF
INCENTIVES TO PERSUADE THE NORTH TO ABANDON ITS MISSILE
DEVELOPMENT AND SUSPECTED NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAMS.
THE VISIT IS VIEWED AS A CRUCIAL ATTEMPT TO REDUCE THE THREAT
POSED BY NORTH KOREA'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND TO ENTICE
THE RECLUSIVE STATE INTO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.
PRESIDENT KIM SAYS MR. PERRY'S PROPOSAL WILL INCLUDE GUARANTEES
THAT NORTH KOREA WILL NOT BE ATTACKED BY THE UNITED STATES OR
SOUTH KOREA AND THAT A TRADE EMBARGO IMPOSED BY THE UNITED STATES
WILL BE SCRAPPED. PYONGYANG WOULD BE PERMITTED TO OPEN
DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN -- GOING SOME
WAY TOWARD ENDING ITS SELF-IMPOSED ISOLATION.
SOUTH KOREA'S NEW UNIFICATION MINISTER, LIM DONG WON, HAS CALLED
THE VISIT AN HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO END THE COLD WAR FREEZE
WHICH FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES HAS THREATENED PEACE IN NORTH
EAST ASIA.
RECENTLY THOSE THREATS HAVE GROWN WITH NORTH KOREA'S TESTING LAST
AUGUST OF A LONG-RANGE ROCKET OVER JAPAN. IT IS BELIEVED THAT,
IF MODIFIED, THE MISSILE COULD REACH THE U-S WEST COAST.
PYONGYANG IS ALSO SUSPECTED OF DEVELOPING NUCLEAR WEAPONS,
DESPITE A 1994 DEAL, UNDER WHICH NORTH KOREA WAS TO MOTHBALL AN
OLD SOVIET-ERA NUCLEAR REACTOR WHICH WASHINGTON SUSPECTED WAS
BEING USED TO REPROCESS PLUTONIUM.
A MEETING BETWEEN MR. PERRY AND KIM JONG IL, WHILE NOT
GUARANTEED, WOULD BE VIEWED HERE AS A HUGE STEP FORWARD IN
FRACTIOUS RELATIONS BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND PYONGYANG. THE U-S
ARMY HAS 37-THOUSAND TROOPS STATIONED IN SOUTH KOREA, AND
PYONGYANG ROUTINELY DEMANDS THEY BE SENT HOME.
KIM JONG IL RARELY TRAVELS ABROAD, AND IT IS MORE RARE STILL FOR
HIM TO RECEIVE FOREIGN VISITORS -- PARTICULARLY AMERICANS. THE
U-S PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY'S TRIP FOLLOWS THE VISIT OF A 14-MEMBER
U-S INSPECTION TEAM THAT LOOKED AT A SUSPECTED NUCLEAR SITE NORTH
OF PYONGYANG. U-S STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAID
MONDAY NORTH KOREAN OFFICIALS HAD BEEN COOPERATIVE. (SIGNED)
NEB/JL/FC/PLM
26-May-99 3:22 AM EDT (0722 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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