BEIJING: A top North Korean diplomat repeated an offer for international talks over his country’s disputed nuclear programme during a meeting in China yesterday, saying the denuclearisation of the peninsula was the “dying wish” of North Korea’s founder.
The Beijing trip by First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan comes just days after North Korea offered talks with the United States to ease tension that spiked this year when the North threatened the United States and South Korea with nuclear war.
The White House said any talks must involve action by the North to show it is moving towards disarmament.
China’s Foreign Ministry, after Kim’s talks with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui, cited the North Korean, who has previously represented his country at talks to get it to halt its nuclear programme, as saying North Korea wanted talks.
“The denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula was the dying wish of Chairman Kim Il-sung and General Secretary Kim Jong-il,” the Chinese ministry said in statement, citing Kim as saying. Kim Il-sung founded the country. His son Kim Jong-il, who died in 2011, oversaw North Korea’s first two nuclear tests. North Korea conducted a third test in February. REUTERS
