1. Outline
o Date and Place : August 27~29, 2003, Beijing
o Schedule
- August 26 : bilateral and trilateral meetings, followed by a reception hosted by Vice Foreign Minister
Wang Yi
- August 27~28 : plenary session and bilateral/trilateral meeting, followed by a dinner hosted by
Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing
- August 29 : closing ceremony, followed by the courtesy call on State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan
o Development of the Meeting
- During the plenary session on the morning of the first day of the talks, each side listened to the
keynote speeches of other delegations, and, in the afternoon, attended series of bilateral meetings.
(The US and DPRK had their bilateral contact during this time)
- On the second day of the talks, there were discussions on the keynote speeches of the previous day.
At this time, the DPRK revealed the contents of the bilateral contact with the US and criticized the US,
to which the US responded in a calm manner. The talks continued.
- On the day of the closing ceremony, the Chinese delegation gave a summary of the talks as follows:
① The six countries agreed to resolve the nuclear issue through peaceful means and dialogue.
② While a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula should be realized, the security concerns of the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea should also be taken into consideration.
③ To explore an overall plan to resolve the nuclear issue in step-by-step manner and in a simultaneous
and parallel way.
④ In the process of negotiations any action or word that may aggravate the situation should be
avoided.
⑤ Dialogue should continue to establish trust, reduce differences and broaden common ground.
⑥ The six-party talks should continue and the specific date and venue should be decided through
diplomatic channels as soon as possible.
2. Positions of Each Country
A. Principle of Resolution
o The six countries reached a consensus that a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula should be realized.
- The DPRK delegation stated that its general goal is to realize denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula
and that it is "not its goal to have nuclear weapons." It further stated that it can dismantle its nuclear
program "if the U.S. makes a switchover in its hostile policy towards [the DPRK]."
B. Resolution of the DPRK's Nuclear Issue
o The ROK delegation proposed to resolve North Korea's nuclear issue by implementing the following
three stages:
- First stage: all parties state the willingness to resolve the issue
- Second stage: the DPRK dismantles its nuclear program, while other parties take corresponding
measures
- Third stage: improve relations among participating countries in a comprehensive manner
o The US delegation explained the key elements needed to resolve the nuclear issue, although it did not
present a detailed implementation plan.
- It explained that there will be measures corresponding to the actions of the DPRK to dismantle its
nuclear program, and that towards the goal of normalizing US-DPRK relations, other issues, such as
those related to the DPRK's missiles and conventional military forces, should be resolved.
o The DPRK delegation restated its proposal which it had explained during the Beijing trilateral talks last
April.
- It emphasized the need for "simultaneous actions" between the DPRK and the US.
C. Dismantlement of the DPRK's Nuclear Program
o The ROK, the US and the Japanese delegations urged the DPRK to eliminate its nuclear program in a
complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.
o The DPRK delegation maintained the position that it cannot take the first step of dismantling its nuclear
facility nor accept an "early inspection."
o The Chinese and the Russian delegations stressed the need for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.
They also noted that the DPRK's nuclear dismantlement and the resolution of its security concerns
should take place at the same time.
D. The Issue of Providing Security Assurance to the DPRK
o While the US delegation reiterated that the US has no intention of invading the DPRK, it stated that the
conclusion of a non- aggression treaty is not possible.
- Adding that it desires to have mutually beneficial and friendly relations with all countries in the region,
including the DPRK, it stated that it is willing to discuss the issue of the DPRK's concerns about its
security in future rounds of the talks.
o The DPRK delegation stated that it does not call for multilateral security assurances, but insisted that a
non-aggression treaty is needed between the DPRK and the US, as the US is the only one posing a
threat to its security.
o The Chinese and the Russian delegations stressed the need to understand the DPRK's security
concerns as well as the need to address such concerns.
E. The DPRK's Economy and the Issue of Energy Assistance
o The ROK, the US and the Japanese delegations expressed the willingness to study ways to provide
energy assistance to the DPRK once it dismantles its nuclear program.
o The ROK delegation stated that the resolution of the DPRK's nuclear issue would pave the way for the
ROK's bold assistance to help develop the DPRK's economy, as well as for realizing a regional
community of peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia.
o The Chinese and the Russian delegations noted the need to pursue economic cooperation with the
DPRK as an element of resolving the nuclear issue.
F. Evaluation of the First Round of the Six-Party Talks
o The Six-Party Talks was a beginning of a process to resolve the DPRK's nuclear issue through dialogue.
- By exchanging views on each country's positions, it served as an opportunity to deepen the
understanding of each other.
- Still, considering the drastic differences of views between the US and the DPRK expressed during the
talks, it seems that a great deal of time and efforts are needed to settle these differences.
o The six countries were able to form a general consensus on basic principles, including the need for a
peaceful resolution, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, comprehensive and step-by-step
resolution, the need to address the DPRK's security concerns and to continue the Six-Party Talks
process.
- The Six-Party Talks served as an opportunity to confirm the possibility of resolving the issue through
mutual trust and dialogue.
o The Six-Party Talks created the conditions for managing the current situation by creating the momentum
for dialogue.
- It is expected that at least the basic conditions for dialogue would be maintained, as the six countries
expressed understanding on holding the next round of the talks.
o The ROK was able to serve as a facilitator of the talks based on the trust each delegation had given.
- It helped create an atmosphere conducive to a smooth proceeding of the talks, utilizing ROK-US-Japan
trilateral meetings, contacts with the DPRK delegation, and bilateral meetings with the Chinese and the
Russian delegations.