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.
"I believe South Korea is obviously part of the (armistice) agreement, although only three countries are signatory to the agreement," Kim said, referring to the truce involving the DPRK, China and the United States, which ended the 1950-53 Korean War and left South Korea and the DPRK technically at war.
Kim also added that the DPRK's intention is not yet clear.
The remarks come after the DPRK said Monday that it would discuss reaching a peace treaty with relevant state parties to replace the Armistice Agreement either in the framework of the six-party talks or in a "separate forum" as what the Joint Statement of September 2005 proposed.
The Joint Statement, reached during the fourth six-party talks, says "the directly related parties will negotiate a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula at an appropriate separate forum."
Unlike Kim's remarks that South Korea should be part of the armistice agreement, Pyongyang in the past would not acknowledge Seoul as one of the parties directly engaged in it.
Seoul has been cautious in responding to the DPRK's proposal, with a South Korean foreign ministry official telling Xinhua later Monday on condition of anonymity that the DPRK's move is "not welcome" and local media quoting officials saying the suggestion is somewhat different from Seoul's position on such talks.
Seoul's Yonhap News Agency reported that the South Korean government is likely to make a formal response to the issue later after it thoroughly reviewed the DPRK's proposal.
U.S. rejects DPRK's call for peace treaty talks
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." Full story
DPRK ready to discuss peace agreement at six-party talks
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
DPRK's proposal on peace treaty different from S. Korea's original position: official
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 calls on Pyongyang to return to six-party talks
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
DPRK calls for end of hostile relations with U.S., nuclear-free Peninsula
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
U.S., DPRK agree on need to resume six-party talks: Bosworth
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
Discussions to resume six-party talks ongoing: FM
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
Russia says DPRK's return to six-party talks important event in 2009
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
U.S. remains hostile towards DPRK: newspaper
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
DPRK vows "unpredictable retaliatory blows" to intrusion
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
DPRK-U.S. dialogue paves way for reviving six-way talks
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
