1. Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Hwang Joon-kook will visit Washington DC from December 2 to 4 for a consultation among the chief negotiators of the Republic of Korea, the US and Japan for the Six-Party Talks.

o Special Representative Hwang will hold the consultation among the ROK, US and Japanese chief negotiators for the Six-Party Talks with US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Sung Kim and Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Ministry Kimihiro Ishikane at the US Department of State on December 3.

o The consultation is part of follow-up measures to the ROK-US summit (October 16) and the ROK-Japan summit (November 2). In the consultation, the three sides will share their assessments and prospects regarding North Korea and its nuclear issue, and discuss measures to handle the issues.

o Special Representative Hwang will also meet with officials from the US Department of the Treasury, and discuss ways to enhance the effectiveness of sanctions against North Korea and other related issues.

2. Special Representative Hwang, together with Special Representative Sung Kim, will attend a forum on the North Korean nuclear issue, titled “The Future of Six-Party Talks,” as co-panelists in New York on December 4. At the forum, they will explain diplomatic efforts of the ROK and the US in dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue.

o The closed-door forum, co-hosted by the National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP) and the Consulate-General of the ROK in New York, will bring together about 100 people, including those from academia and the financial and economic sectors, as well as former government officials. The forum is expected to serve as an opportunity to increase awareness of US public opinion leaders.


*unofficial translation