N.K. foreign minister in Moscow to discuss nuclear, wider ties: report

SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's foreign minister was to arrive in Russia on Tuesday for talks with Russian officials possibly on bilateral ties and the North's denuclearization, a report said.

During a four-day stay in Moscow, Pak Ui-chun will meet ranking Moscow officials
including his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Itar-Tass quoted an unnamed
Russian Foreign Ministry official as telling the news agency.
An agenda for the upcoming consultations has not been disclosed yet, but the two
sides may coordinate their approaches to the six-party nuclear disarmament
process, according to the report.
Discussions may also focus on ways to expand political, economic and cultural
cooperation, it said, quoting diplomatic sources.
The United States removed North Korea from a list of countries accused of
sponsoring terrorism on Saturday after a deal was reached to allow inspections of
the North's declared nuclear arsenal.
North Korea, in return, told the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on
Monday that it would resume disabling its main nuclear complex at Yongbyon, the
U.N. nuclear watchdog body said.
Pyongyang has also allowed international inspectors back to the Yongbyon nuclear
plant, the IAEA said.
Pak's trip was timed to coincide with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties
between the two countries which fell on Sunday.
It also marks Pak's first visit to Russia in his capacity as foreign minister. He
previously served as the North's ambassador to Moscow.
sshim@yna.co.kr
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