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CNN Live At Daybreak

Talks Scheduled Between Two Koreas

Aired January 09, 2003 - 06:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go back now to the controversy over North Korea's nuclear plans. The two Koreas are about to talk. High-level meetings are already scheduled, but it's not about the nuclear issue.
From the Korean peninsula with that is our Seoul bureau chief, Sohn Jie-Ae.

Good morning -- Jie-Ae.

SOHN JIE-AE, CNN SEOUL BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning -- or good evening, John.

South and North Korea are probably going to talk later this month. North Korea today proposed a new day for inter-Korean ministerial meetings from January 21 to the 24th. Now, these meetings are held regularly between the ministerial-level people between South and North Korea to talk about inter-Korean issues, but South Korean officials say at this meeting, the nuclear issue is probably going to be high on the agenda.

They also expect that this will follow a series of efforts -- diplomatic efforts by South Korea to get other allies in line to try to resolve the nuclear crisis, because this could be a good time to get the message across to North Korea that it needs to get some sort of nuclear resolution down before this gets out of hand -- John.

VAUSE: Jie-Ae, just tell us, there are reports here that the United States is willing to talk and that they're willing to enter into some kind of negotiations with North Korea. How is that playing out in South Korea today?

SOHN: Well, South Korea is probably welcoming this. South Korea has all along proposed dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the issue. Many South Koreans are saying that it is dialogue, it is trying to get North Korea to come to the negotiating table, and it is trying to get Washington and North Korea to get -- to agree to some sort of framework that both sides can agree upon.

So, this is probably a very good sign from the South Korean point of view -- John.

VAUSE: Yes, it's amazing how the Washington position has changed. Sohn Jie-Ae reporting live for us there from Seoul -- thanks, Jie-Ae.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired January 9, 2003 - 06:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go back now to the controversy over North Korea's nuclear plans. The two Koreas are about to talk. High-level meetings are already scheduled, but it's not about the nuclear issue.
From the Korean peninsula with that is our Seoul bureau chief, Sohn Jie-Ae.

Good morning -- Jie-Ae.

SOHN JIE-AE, CNN SEOUL BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning -- or good evening, John.

South and North Korea are probably going to talk later this month. North Korea today proposed a new day for inter-Korean ministerial meetings from January 21 to the 24th. Now, these meetings are held regularly between the ministerial-level people between South and North Korea to talk about inter-Korean issues, but South Korean officials say at this meeting, the nuclear issue is probably going to be high on the agenda.

They also expect that this will follow a series of efforts -- diplomatic efforts by South Korea to get other allies in line to try to resolve the nuclear crisis, because this could be a good time to get the message across to North Korea that it needs to get some sort of nuclear resolution down before this gets out of hand -- John.

VAUSE: Jie-Ae, just tell us, there are reports here that the United States is willing to talk and that they're willing to enter into some kind of negotiations with North Korea. How is that playing out in South Korea today?

SOHN: Well, South Korea is probably welcoming this. South Korea has all along proposed dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the issue. Many South Koreans are saying that it is dialogue, it is trying to get North Korea to come to the negotiating table, and it is trying to get Washington and North Korea to get -- to agree to some sort of framework that both sides can agree upon.

So, this is probably a very good sign from the South Korean point of view -- John.

VAUSE: Yes, it's amazing how the Washington position has changed. Sohn Jie-Ae reporting live for us there from Seoul -- thanks, Jie-Ae.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.