Envoys of U.S., China, Japan, Russia to meet over N. Korea issue

SEOUL, June 22 (Yonhap) -- Ambassadors from the U.S., China, Japan and Russia,
all members of the six-party talks on denuclearizing North Korea, will meet at a
security forum in Seoul Monday on ways to bring Pyongyang back to dialogue,
organizers said.

U.S. Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, Chinese Ambassador Cheng Yonghua, Japanese
Ambassador Torinoshi Shigei and Russian Ambassador Gleb Ivashentsov are expected
to discuss ways for a possible breakthrough over the North Korean nuclear
standoff while attending the forum to be sponsored by the ruling Grand National
Party (GNP) at the National Assembly in central Seoul.
The six-party talks, which also involve the two Koreas, have stalled due to a
dispute over how to verify North Korea's accounting of its nuclear assets.
The GNP-hosted forum comes as the communist state faces increasing condemnation
by the international community following its May 25 nuclear test and multiple
rocket launches. The United Nations Security Council recently agreed on financial
and diplomatic sanctions against Pyongyang for defying a U.N. resolution by
detonating its second nuclear device.
The forum is organized and hosted by Rep. Gu Sang-chan of the GNP. Seoul's
Unification Minister Hyun In-taek is also scheduled to attend the meeting,
according to organizers.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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