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Does Pyongyang truly want to reengage in talks with Seoul and Washington?
Many experts in the South don't think so.
They say North Korea will try to get what it wants, but will not give up what the international
community really wants it to -- its nuclear ambition.
Our Eoh Jin-joo explains.
North Korea's special envoy to Beijing, Choe Ryong-hae, has reportedly told China that.
Pyongyang is willing to talk with its regional neighbors.
When it came to the nuclear issue, however,. Choe refused to give a direct answer,. and
hinted that Pyongyang will push ahead with both its economic development and nuclear
program, clearly going against Beijing's call to work towards denuclearization.
An official from South Korea's Unification Ministry told reporters that. although North
Korea is saying that it is willing to reengage in talks,. it's the subject of the talks that's
important.
The official said that the North had wanted talks on arms reduction, not denuclearization,
and if that is the case, the talks will be meaningless.
Korea University Professor Yoo Ho-yeol said that it is difficult to interpret the North
Korean envoy's comments as a sincere desire to reengage in denuclearization talks. as
he did not even mention the possibility of the North returning to the six-party talks,.
which China has called for.
Another thing that has made experts doubtful about North Korea's willingness to resume
talks, and its true intent,. is the way it is dealing with South Korea's proposal for
dialogue on the now shuttered inter-Korean Gaeseong Industrial Complex.
The North has yet to respond to that offer.
But on Thursday ,. the North invited a South Korean civic group to join it in celebrating
the 13th anniversary next month of the signing of a peace and reunification declaration.
Analysts say,. this is a typical ploy for Pyongyang.
"North Korea is trying to create a conflict within the South by not giving in to the South
Korean government, while simultaneously providing those that are more sympathetic to the North
with a reason for dispute."
Yet others say that the government should reinitiate dialogue with Pyongyang, at least
through the civic sector.
Eoh Jin-joo, Arirang News.