The chief U.S. official in charge of North
Korea policy will visit Seoul this weekend to discuss the resumption of nuclear talks stalled over the international sanctions on the communist
country, government sources said Saturday.
Stephen Bosworth, special representative for North Korea policy, will arrive at Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway, at 5 p.m. on Sunday, the sources said. His visit comes six months after he traveled to Seoul in February.
During his three-day visit through Tuesday, Bosworth will meet with Shin Kak-soo, South Korea's acting foreign minister, and Wi Sung-lac, the country's chief nuclear envoy to coordinate the two countries' view on the resumption of six-way talks aimed at solving North Korea's nuclear arms standoff.
The talks of the six nations comprising South Korea, North Korea, the U.S. Russia, Japan and China have been in deadlock since December 2008.
Bosworth and Wi are reported to share views that Seoul and Washington could resume a series of talks with Pyongyang if North Korea mends fence
with South Korea.
Inter-Korean relations were further deteriorated after the sinking of the Cheonan, a South Korean warship, near their western sea border in March.
South Korea announced in mid-May that the warship was torpedoed by a North Korean submarine.
Ahead of Bosworth's trip to South Korea, Pyongyang proposed on Friday to Seoul to resume cross-border reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, which have been stalled since September of last year.
Bosworth will be accompanied by Sung Kim, envoy for the six-party talks, and Daniel Russel, director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council, the sources said.