Campbell to visit Seoul for discussions on N. Korea: State Dept.

By Lee Chi-dong
WASHINGTON, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Kurt Campbell, U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, will visit South Korea next week as part of a regional trip, his department announced Friday, amid speculation that the allies are split over North Korea's request for food aid.
???Assistant Secretary Campbell will arrive in Seoul on June 10 for meetings with senior ROK (South Korean) officials to discuss a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global affairs, including next steps on the Korean Peninsula,??? State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.
Campbell will visit Beijing Monday to discuss cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and other issues, including North Korea and Iran, followed by trips to Mongolia and Indonesia, he added.
He said Campbell will stay in Seoul just for a day before heading back to Washington.
When asked to elaborate on the agenda items in Seoul, Toner said the issue of providing North Korea with food will likely be included.
But he would not predict whether the Obama administration will make a decision on resuming food assistance before Campbell arrives in Seoul next Friday.
Last week, the U.S. dispatched a team of officials and experts, led by human rights envoy Robert King, to Pyongyang for an assessment of the food situation there and the terms of monitoring distribution.
???I don't want to try to put a timeline where we are at,??? he said. ???There will be a period to evaluate what their findings were.???
Speaking at a congressional hearing on Monday, King suggested a subtle rift between Seoul and Washington over the issue.
He said South Korea would prefer no food aid go to the North, which is continuing threats and provocations without apology for its deadly attacks on the South in 2010.
???We consult with them on issues that relate to North Korea and that relate to regional security issues. We agree with them on many issues. There are some issues that we disagree,??? King said.
The U.S. has stressed that it is considering the food issue on a humanitarian basis without political considerations.
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