1. On March 22, Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim Hong-kyun held a Republic of Korea-United States meeting of the head delegates to the Six-Party Talks with Special Representative for North Korea Policy Sung Kim of the US Department of State. In the meeting, the two ranking diplomats made an assessment of the current situation, including North Korea’s recent provocations, and extensively discussed the outcome of Special Representative Kim’s visit to China on March 18 as well as the full range of North Korea and its nuclear issues.

2. Shortly before the meeting, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met with Special Representative for North Korea Policy Sung Kim and Coordinator for Sanctions Policy Daniel Fried of the US Department of State. The Minister, noting with appreciation the adoption of the unprecedentedly strong and effective Security Council Resolution 2270 based on close ROK-US coordination, as well as unilateral sanctions of the two countries, asked the US government to play an active role in efforts to intensify pressure on North Korea across the board through a mutually complementary implementation of three major packages of measures -- the UN Security Council resolution, unilateral sanctions of major countries, and pressure from the international community.

3. It is very rare for a US delegation comprised of high-level officials, who are in charge of addressing the North Korean nuclear issue, as well as those of the Departments of State, the Treasury and Commerce, who handle sanctions against North Korea, to visit the ROK. The visit is seen to have served as an opportunity for the ROK and the US to discuss in depth ways to intensify pressure on North Korea across the board.


* unofficial translation