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American Morning
Koreas to Hold Talks on Nuclear Issue
Aired January 15, 2003 - 07:03 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: In what could signal a fall in the North Korean nuclear standoff, North Korea is now agreeing to a South Korean proposal to hold talks next week.
Meanwhile, Tom Mintier joins us from Seoul with a live update from there.
Good morning -- Tom.
TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula, from a very chilly Seoul, South Korea.
We will be looking at talks between North and South Korea occurring here in Seoul next week. Today in the last hours, the Unification Ministry said they will try to use those talks.
Now, these are not the first time the two sides have met at the cabinet level. There have been eight previous meetings, but none possibly as important as the ninth one, when the two sides sit together on the 21st of January here in Seoul. Both sides have now agreed. But the Unification Ministry says it will try to convince North Korea to give up its alleged nuclear program. So, those talks are extremely important as they start next week.
Also in Beijing, there are talks going on right now between Asia's top U.S. diplomat, James Kelly. The assistant secretary of state is in Beijing for talks with the Chinese; also hearing that a delegation from Russia will be also coming in to Pyongyang. There is currently a U.N. special envoy there. An Australian delegation is there. So, all pressure from all sides on North Korea to try to back away from this crisis that is going on right now. So, we will see both North and South Korea coming to together.
And as you said earlier, there is an indication of increased North Korean military activity in the de-militarized zone. The Americans are reporting today that the patrols have about doubled in numbers of North Korean activity in the de-militarized zone. They say they've seen the increase in the last few days, and they're watching it carefully. They say one command post that normally is not manned is now manned by North Korean soldiers, but it's something they're keeping a very close eye on -- Paula.
ZAHN: And once again, Tom, the best the South Koreans hope for out of these meetings next week with the North Koreans is what?
MINTIER: Well, I think that being able to have their say and make it directly. I think that that's what South Korea wants to do. They want to be involved in getting this crisis resolved. They want to play a major role.
Now, if North Korea comes to Seoul and they're able to do that, then it will be a major plus for the president-elect's government coming in, if they can indeed move this process forward.
We'll take a look later on, on AMERICA MORNING this morning, at some American soldiers who are up along DMZ from the 2nd Infantry Division, or they call themselves two ID (ph). They're going through training, as they do under normal circumstances every day. Nothing really has changed for them, despite the heightened tensions. They're still getting ready for what may happen.
ZAHN: We look forward to that report. See you a little bit later on this morning. Thanks, Tom.
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 15, 2003 - 07:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: In what could signal a fall in the North Korean nuclear standoff, North Korea is now agreeing to a South Korean proposal to hold talks next week.
Meanwhile, Tom Mintier joins us from Seoul with a live update from there.
Good morning -- Tom.
TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula, from a very chilly Seoul, South Korea.
We will be looking at talks between North and South Korea occurring here in Seoul next week. Today in the last hours, the Unification Ministry said they will try to use those talks.
Now, these are not the first time the two sides have met at the cabinet level. There have been eight previous meetings, but none possibly as important as the ninth one, when the two sides sit together on the 21st of January here in Seoul. Both sides have now agreed. But the Unification Ministry says it will try to convince North Korea to give up its alleged nuclear program. So, those talks are extremely important as they start next week.
Also in Beijing, there are talks going on right now between Asia's top U.S. diplomat, James Kelly. The assistant secretary of state is in Beijing for talks with the Chinese; also hearing that a delegation from Russia will be also coming in to Pyongyang. There is currently a U.N. special envoy there. An Australian delegation is there. So, all pressure from all sides on North Korea to try to back away from this crisis that is going on right now. So, we will see both North and South Korea coming to together.
And as you said earlier, there is an indication of increased North Korean military activity in the de-militarized zone. The Americans are reporting today that the patrols have about doubled in numbers of North Korean activity in the de-militarized zone. They say they've seen the increase in the last few days, and they're watching it carefully. They say one command post that normally is not manned is now manned by North Korean soldiers, but it's something they're keeping a very close eye on -- Paula.
ZAHN: And once again, Tom, the best the South Koreans hope for out of these meetings next week with the North Koreans is what?
MINTIER: Well, I think that being able to have their say and make it directly. I think that that's what South Korea wants to do. They want to be involved in getting this crisis resolved. They want to play a major role.
Now, if North Korea comes to Seoul and they're able to do that, then it will be a major plus for the president-elect's government coming in, if they can indeed move this process forward.
We'll take a look later on, on AMERICA MORNING this morning, at some American soldiers who are up along DMZ from the 2nd Infantry Division, or they call themselves two ID (ph). They're going through training, as they do under normal circumstances every day. Nothing really has changed for them, despite the heightened tensions. They're still getting ready for what may happen.
ZAHN: We look forward to that report. See you a little bit later on this morning. Thanks, Tom.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
