N. Korea stresses it's not willing to sit for talks with U.S. on the day Biegun is to arrive in Seoul
- 4 years ago
북한, 비건 방한일에 "미국과 마주앉을 생각 없다"
Our top story this afternoon...
North Korea has once again stressed it's not willing to hold talks with the U.S.
This latest defiant statement out of Pyeongyang coming on the same day that U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun is set to arrive in Seoul for talks on re-engaging with the North.
Hong Yoo reports.
North Korea on Tuesday again rejected the possibility of talks with the U.S.
North Korea's foreign ministry director-general Kwon Jong-gun said in a statement that the regime is not willing to sit across from Americans... and that the North's First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui had made their stance clear last Saturday.
Tuesday's statement from the regime also showed displeasure at the South's efforts to act as a mediator between Pyeongyang and Washington.
Kwon said that it is ridiculous that Seoul is acting as if it is the solution to the North Korea-U.S. relationship.
He added that the South is only worsening the inter-Korean relationship.
Experts say such statement released on the day the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State is to arrive in Seoul, show the North is trying to emphasize that the U.S. will need a new strategy before resuming talks.
Biegun is scheduled to arrive by military plane at Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi-do province on Tuesday afternoon.
He will be staying in Seoul for three days and is expected to discuss issues related to the Korean peninsula and the possibility of resuming talks with Pyeongyang.
On the second day of his visit, Biegun will sit down for talks with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and later with the first vice foreign minister Cho Sei-young to discuss key bilateral, regional and global issues.
Biegun is also meeting with the special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs Lee Do-hoon to discuss denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
On the last day, he is expected to visit the Blue House to meet top officers newly appointed to diplomacy and security positions.
But all eyes are on whether Biegun has brought a message for the North.
Hong Yoo, Arirang News.
Our top story this afternoon...
North Korea has once again stressed it's not willing to hold talks with the U.S.
This latest defiant statement out of Pyeongyang coming on the same day that U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun is set to arrive in Seoul for talks on re-engaging with the North.
Hong Yoo reports.
North Korea on Tuesday again rejected the possibility of talks with the U.S.
North Korea's foreign ministry director-general Kwon Jong-gun said in a statement that the regime is not willing to sit across from Americans... and that the North's First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui had made their stance clear last Saturday.
Tuesday's statement from the regime also showed displeasure at the South's efforts to act as a mediator between Pyeongyang and Washington.
Kwon said that it is ridiculous that Seoul is acting as if it is the solution to the North Korea-U.S. relationship.
He added that the South is only worsening the inter-Korean relationship.
Experts say such statement released on the day the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State is to arrive in Seoul, show the North is trying to emphasize that the U.S. will need a new strategy before resuming talks.
Biegun is scheduled to arrive by military plane at Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi-do province on Tuesday afternoon.
He will be staying in Seoul for three days and is expected to discuss issues related to the Korean peninsula and the possibility of resuming talks with Pyeongyang.
On the second day of his visit, Biegun will sit down for talks with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and later with the first vice foreign minister Cho Sei-young to discuss key bilateral, regional and global issues.
Biegun is also meeting with the special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs Lee Do-hoon to discuss denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
On the last day, he is expected to visit the Blue House to meet top officers newly appointed to diplomacy and security positions.
But all eyes are on whether Biegun has brought a message for the North.
Hong Yoo, Arirang News.