WASHINGTON, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The United States rejected Monday the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s proposal to discuss a peace treaty before denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, with the White House and State Department both calling on the DPRK to honor its obligations in denuclearization.
White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters in a daily briefing that the DPRK has to come back to the six-party talks and take steps towards denuclearization for the peace treaty issue to advance, "if they're willing to live up to those obligations, then we will make progress in those talks."
He said this is not a step for the United States to take, but rather a step for the DPRK.
Later in the day, State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley also said the issue in front of the DPRK is "saying yes, coming back to the six-party process, and then we can begin to march down the list of issues that we have, beginning with the nuclear issue ... then we are perfectly willing to have other kinds of discussions."
He noted in the Joint Statement of September 2005 agreed upon by the six-parties, namely the DPRK, the Republic of Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United States, establishment of a peace regime and normalization of relations among all parties concerned must be preceded by denuclearization.
Pyongyang said earlier Monday that it would discuss reaching a peace treaty with relevant state parties to replace the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-1953 Korean War, either in the framework of the six-party talks, or in a "separate forum." It said the conclusion of the peace treaty would help promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- South Korea is keeping a much closer eye on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s military than in the past, and the DPRK seems to have beefed up its military training off the west coast, Seoul's Defense Minister Kim Tae-young said Tuesday.
"We are monitoring all the moves by the North Korea (DPRK)'s military, much more closely than in the past," Kim Tae-young said in a briefing, adding that there has not been any substantial change observed. Full story
SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's Defense Minister Kim Tae-yong said Tuesday that progress in the denuclearization of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the resumption of the stalled six-party talks should come first before South Korea and the DPRK can discuss replacing an armistice with a peace treaty.
"I believe we can address the issue (of reaching a peace treaty) when the six-party talks restart and the DPRK's denuclearization process makes progress," Kim Tae-young said in a briefing. Full story
PYONGYANG, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Monday it would discuss reaching a peace treaty with relevant state parties in the framework of the six-party talks to replace the Armistice Agreement, the official Korean Central News Agency reported.
The DPRK Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that it was necessary to pay primary attention to build confidence between the DPRK and the United States. Full story
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s proposal on peace treaty is somewhat different from South Korea's original position on it, a foreign ministry official said later Monday.
The official's remark came after the DPRK said earlier in the day that it would discuss reaching a peace treaty with relevant state parties to replace the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-1953 Korean War, either in the framework of the six-party talks, or in a "separate forum" as what the Joint Statement of September 2005 proposed. Full story
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Monday called on Pyongyang to return to the six-party talks, as an important follow-up action of bilateral direct talks.
"I don't have a specific reaction to that statement. But we hope that North Korea will agree to resuming the six-party talks," said State Department spokesman Ian Kelly, referring to Pyongyang's proposal on improving relationship with Washington. Full story
PYONGYANG, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) called on Friday for an end to the hostile relationship between Pyongyang and Washington while reiterating its pursue for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.
In a joint New Year editorial released by KCNA, the DPRK said "the fundamental task for ensuring peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the rest of Asia is to put an end to the hostile relationship between the DPRK and the USA." Full story
SEOUL, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special envoy to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), said Thursday that the U.S. and the DPRK reached a common understanding on the need for resuming the six-party talks and implementing the Joint Statement of September 2005.
At a press conference here after wrapping up his three-day trip to Pyongayang, Bosworth called the trip "very useful" in that he was able to exchange views in a "candid, business-like" way. Full story
SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said Wednesday that discussions to resume the stalled six-party talks on nuclear issue on Korean Peninsula are underway, local media reported.
Yu Myung-hwan told local media that participating countries in the six-way talks are waiting for the response of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) following U.S. special nuclear envoy Stephen Bosworth's recent visit to Pyongyang. Full story
MOSCOW, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Russia considers Pyongyang's readiness to resume the six-party talks an important event in 2009,Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin said Wednesday.
"As a result of joint efforts by all parties of the six-nation talks, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has agreed to resume the negotiations," Borodavkin said at a press conference. Full story
PYONGYANG, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The United States was accused of having no plan to change its hostile policy toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in a commentary in the official Rodong Sinmun on Tuesday.
The commentary, lashing out at the recent U.S.-South Korea joint air force exercise, said the U.S. artificially intensified tension on the Korean peninsula and increased the risk of war by constantly holding military drills, while claiming to "secure the peace of the peninsula." Full story
PYONGYANG, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will "mercilessly destroy the stronghold of aggression with unpredictable retaliatory blows" if its sovereignty is breached, the DPRK's chief of the General Staff of the army said Wednesday.
Ri Yong Ho, chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA), made the remarks at a meeting marking the 18th anniversary of the top leader Kim Jong Il's assumption of the supreme commandership of the KPA. Full story
Russia, U.S. hail DPRK's readiness to rejoin six-party talks MOSCOW, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Russia and the United States welcomed signals from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) that it was ready to rejoin the six-party talks, Russian news agencies reported on Monday.
"I welcome the DPRK's adherence to the six-nation negotiating process," Russia's chief nuclear envoy and Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin told a press briefing after meeting with Steven Bosworth, the U.S. special envoy to the DPRK.Full story
BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Stephen Bosworth, President Barack Obama's special envoy, concluded a three-day visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Thursday after holding the first direct U.S. talks with Pyongyang since Obama took office.
The U.S. said Bosworth's visit, which was closely followed by all parties involved in the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, was aimed at pushing for an early resumption of the stalled six-party talks over the DPRK's dismantling of its nuclear program. Full story
