South Korea, U.S. reject DPRK's status as nuclear power

South Korea and the United States have reiterated their joint stance that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should not be recognized as a nuclear power.

Following a "strategic consultation" between South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan and U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, the two sides said in a joint news release that they recognized the DPRK's nuclear test as "a grave threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and beyond."

"Both parties agreed to conduct close and in-depth consultations on issues relating to resuming the six-party talks and formulating strategies between the ROK (South Korea) and the U.S. heads of the delegations of the talks," the document said.

The two nations "highlighted a united voice in the international community through full and effective implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 (to punish the DPRK for its nuclear test)," it said.

The two sides also agreed to make joint efforts to bring about substantial progress in the upcoming six-party talks, which include China, the DPRK, South Korea, the U.S., Russia and Japan, on the DPRK's nuclear issue.

The gathering was the first high-level meeting between Seoul and Washington since Pyongyang agreed last week to resume a new round of six-party talks, for which a date is yet to be set.

Robert Joseph, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and Security, had a separate three-hour meeting with South Korea's Deputy Foreign Minister Park In-kook in Seoul on Tuesday.

"All issues on our agenda are related to the importance of full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718," Joseph said after the meeting with Park.

According to South Korea's Presidential Office, South Korean and the visiting U.S. officials agreed to the staging of a summit between President Roh Moo-hyun and U.S. President George W. Bush on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Vietnam this month.

Burns and Joseph arrived here on Monday night. During their two-day stay in Seoul, they met with Chun Yung-woo, Seoul's top nuclear negotiator for the six-party talks, and Song Min-soon, Roh's chief security advisor, who has been appointed as foreign minister, to coordinate the joint stance over the DPRK's nuclear issues.

Source: Xinhua