S Korea, US, Japan to hold talks in Seoul next week

South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold high-level talks in Seoul next week about developments in North Korea following its failed long-range rocket launch, according to a report. Lim Sung-Nam, South Korea's chief nuclear envoy, his Japanese counterpart Shinsuke Sugiyama and the US special envoy on the North Glyn Davies will meet on Monday, (Yonhap) news agency quoted a foreign ministry official as saying. Speculation is growing that the North will stage another nuclear test or a border clash after the failure of its much-hyped launch on April 13. The North said its aim was only to put a peaceful satellite into orbit. But the UN Security Council strongly condemned the launch as breaching a ban on the testing of ballistic missile technology, and tightened sanctions. The envoys are expected to assess the situation "and discuss the possibility of additional provocations from North Korea," Yonhap quoted the unidentified official as saying.