It is reported that during a meeting with Chinese diplomat Tang Jiaxuan, who was dispatched to Pyongyang as special envoy of Chinese President Hu Jintoa, North Korean leader Kim Jung Il might have said that there would be no additional nuclear tests.

A diplomatic source in Beijing said, “I got the information that North Korean leader Kim mentioned to the Chinese special envoy that he will not conduct additional nuclear tests.” Regarding the question ‘Did he say ‘temporarily suspended’ or ‘no more tests?’’ The source clarified, “I understood that there will be no more tests, not suspension.”

Some domestic experts also report that Kim Jung Il must have said there would be no more tests, saying, “We can guess it from the words of the Chinese special envoy, ‘My trip to Pyongyang was not in vain'." The Korean government did not officially confirm that Kim Jung Il said so, but also cannot deny it, saying, “We are carefully analyzing Pyongyang’s stance.” It is reported that China has informed Korea of the contents of the talks between Kim Jung Il and Tang.

Since it is reported that Kim clarified that there would be no more tests, some experts analyzed that Korea can avoid a more deteriorated situation, but there is another burden about how to seat North Korea at the six-party table.

After meeting with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan told the press, “My trip to North Korea was not made in vain,” adding, “With Kim Jung Il, I discussed how to restore the six-party talks. At least, we enhanced mutual understanding during my visit.”

입력시간: 2006. 10.24. 08:54