Deputy Minister Lee on 6-Party Talks
- N.Korea to wait until after U.S. presidential election

The KCCI's South-North Economic Cooperation Committee invited Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Lee Soo-hyuck to speak on the progress of the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program and inter-Korea relations at its 14th conference on Aug. 26. The Deputy minister said it would be difficult to expect any progress including a freeze of the North Korean nuclear program in the six-party talks before the U.S. presidential election and surrounding political situations. The U.S. is not ready to make any agreements with the presidential election only a month away at this stage, while North Korea wants to wait until the U.S. election is over and know who the next U.S. president is.

The diplomat stressed that a comprehensive proposal should be made at the 4th six-party talks and maintain the momentum into 5th and 6th meetings. He said in order to have a car move backward, we have to work on stopping the forward movement first. Since our objective is a complete solution of the North's nuclear program, we have to have a detailed plan after stabilizing the situation and take hold of it.   nw