Spokesperson’s Commentary on China’s Proposal on the Six-party Talks

The Government of the Republic of Korea will take note of China’s proposal to hold a Heads of Delegation Meeting of the Six-party Talks in early December. Nevertheless, given that North Korea has caused an adverse impact on efforts to create circumstances for the resumption of the Six-party Talks by disclosing the construction site of its light-water reactor and its uranium enrichment facility and firing artillery shells on Yeonpyeong Island, the proposal to hold a Heads of Delegation Meeting of the Six-party Talks should be reviewed very carefully. The Government of the Republic of Korea holds the basic position that in order to make substantive progress in denuclearization of North Korea through the Six-party Talks, the appropriate circumstances for the resumption of the Talks must be created first. To this end, the Government of the Republic of Korea will pursue bilateral and multilateral consultations within the framework of the Six-party Talks, with an emphasis on inter-Korean dialogue. The Government of the Republic of Korea once again urges North Korea to prove its sincerity toward denuclearization through concrete actions and will continue to closely consult with members of the Six-party Talks.