Two members of a US delegation arrived in South Korea yesterday, after a surprise inspection of North Korea's nuclear facilities, for further consultations on a lengthy nuclear crisis.
A retired Stanford University professor, Mr John Lewis, and other nuclear specialists have became the first outsiders allowed into North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex since UN inspectors were expelled a year ago.
Two of the group, Mr Keith Luse and Mr Frank Jannuzi, both Senate foreign relations committee aides, flew into Seoul, but they declined to comment on the inspection upon their arrival.
The unofficial US delegation is scheduled to meet South Korea's foreign ministry officials on Monday to brief them on the results of their five-day visit to North Korea, news agency Yonhap reported.
Government officials could not be reached for comment.
The United States is committed to a fresh round of talks and a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue, US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell told Japan's NHK national television in an interview broadcast yesterday.
"President Bush, along with the other leaders, is looking for a diplomatic solution, and he has made that clear," Mr Powell said in the interview, conducted early on Saturday. "I believe that is possible."
"I am fairly confident that the talks will be held in the not-too-far future," he said.
North Korea said on Saturday it had shown a visiting US delegation its "nuclear deterrent" and hoped it would provide a basis for a peaceful settlement of the row with the US over its nuclear activities.
The United States suspects North Korea may have resumed reprocessing spent nuclear fuel rods into plutonium for use in nuclear weapons and has been trying, along with its allies, to resume talks with North Korea to end the suspected programme.
The Washington Post reported yesterday that North Korea might have shown the delegation what the communist state described as reprocessed plutonium.
Last week, North Korea offered to freeze its nuclear activities in a move that has raised hopes for a fresh round of talks, which analysts say may happen in February.
- (Reuters)