VAROUS: North Korea has not tipped the balance of military power on the Korean peninsula says South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun/ Six-party talks to resume soon

North Korea had not tipped the balance of military power on the Korean peninsula in its favour by developing nuclear weapons and conducting its first test, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said on Thursday (November 2). South Korea continues to hold superiority over the North but it will never test its might by threatening its neighbour, Roh told foreign executives at an investment forum in Seoul. "Will the military balance really break in the Korean peninsula? Will the military balance really break such that North Korea will wage aggression? At present I don't think it has been broken," Roh said. North Korea set off a nuclear device on Oct. 9, saying it was a successful test. United Nations (U.N.) Security Council sanctions followed swiftly, but Pyongyang has been defiant, saying it was entitled to nuclear weapons in self defence. Meanwhile, China said on Thursday (November 2) it wanted an early resumption of six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear programme, and a Japanese official said Pyongyang had been badly hit by a U.S. financial crackdown. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said no date had been set for the next session of the long-stalled talks, but he made it clear Beijing was keen for a quick restart. "If we're prepared and each side agrees, then sooner the better," he told a regular news briefing. Thursday's remarks were the first official Chinese comment since North Korea agreed on Tuesday (October 31) to return to the six-party talks, hosted by Beijing since 2003 and grouping the two Koreas, China, the United States, Japan and Russia. Washington has said it will "address" North Korea's concerns about a U.S. clampdown on its external financing in the next round of talks. Pyongyang had boycotted the process since November last year in protest at those restrictions. A senior Japanese intelligence official, Takashi Ohizumi told Reuters on Thursday (November 2) the financial crackdown had been squeezing Pyongyang. Ohizumi, director-general of Tokyo's Public Security Intelligence Agency, believes Pyongyang, might now try to use its newly proven nuclear capability as an extra bargaining chip, so countries must keep sanctions in place. In Washington, a Bush administration official told Reuters on Wednesday (November 1) that there was little "wiggle room" over the financial restrictions, imposed after U.S. Treasury officials accused North of counterfeiting American dollars and trafficking illegal drugs. Chinese spokesman Liu confirmed that China would continue observing the U.N. sanctions. North Korea's nuclear test drew worldwide condemnation and United Nations sanctions under Resolution 1718. China was stinging in its condemnation of the test and gave crucial backing to the U.N. sanctions targeting trade with North Korea in large conventional weapons and luxury goods. North Korea's surprise decision to return to negotiations has raised speculation that China had pressured Pyongyang by squeezing the struggling fortress state's economic lifelines. Chinese trade data released on Monday (October 30) showed that China sent no crude oil at all to the energy-starved North in September -- before the nuclear test, but after Pyongyang had ignited regional anger by test-firing missiles. But Liu denied at the news briefing that Beijing had pressured its neighbour into concessions. However, despite sanction aid has been delivered to North Korea by South Korean NGOs. A South Korean aid group recently sent 2,000 bicycles to North Korea, only days after the North tested its nuclear device. The National Council of YMCAs of Korea shipped the bicycles from South Korea's Inchon port to the North's Nampo port after receiving more than 212,000 U.S. dollars (USD) in donations from sports organisations, student groups and from around the country. The organisation told Reuters the bicycles were part of a three-year donation project to help North Korean civilians. The organisation also argued that regardless of controversy over aid group donations to the North amid tensions over its nuclear programme, cutting aid would only serve to further shut down channels for dialogue. South Korea will consider resuming suspended food and fertiliser aid to North Korea due to Pyongyang's decision to return to talks, a South Korean minister said on Wednesday (November 1). South Korea, which had been a key donor of food to the impoverished North, stopped its regular shipments after Pyongyang fired a barrage of missiles in July. Seoul said it could resume the aid if the North returned to the six-country nuclear talks.

ITN Source | November 2, 2006

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