S. Korea calls North to show 'sincerity' on denuclearization

A South Korean envoy renewed calls for North Korea to show "sincerity" for denuclearization if it wants to reopen six-party talks on ending its nuclear weapons program in exchange for food aid and security guarantees. Kim Bong-hyun, South Korean deputy minister for multilateral and global affairs, made the remarks at a UN-sponsored conference on disarmament in Geneva, days after North Korea and the United States met in Beijing for the first time since the death of Kim Jong-il, with no major progress made on nuclear and food aid issues, the (Korea Times) reported. "The momentum for dialogue should be maintained and we hope North Korea will demonstrate its willingness and sincerity toward denuclearization through concrete actions, thereby creating an appropriate environment for the resumption of the six-party talks," Kim said. The six-party talks, which involve the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia, were last held in Beijing in late 2008. North Korea and the US had been poised to reach a deal in which Pyongyang would halt its uranium enrichment program in return for a resumption of Washington's food assistance. However, the demise of Kim left the prospect of resuming the talks more uncertain. South Korea and the US have insisted the North accept a monitored shutdown of its uranium enrichment program to show sincerity toward denuclearization before reviving the disarmament-for-aid talks. The North's new regime under young leader Kim Jong-un, the designated but inexperienced heir of the late Kim, has kept up its hostile rhetoric against South Korea and its US ally, a move viewed by outside analysts as seeking to reinforce the legitimacy of the dynastic succession. There has been no word from North Korea about the results of the Beijing talks with the US, but Pyongyang slammed joint military drills this week by Seoul and Washington. The drills have been routinely cited by the North as a rehearsal for a northward invasion.