By Seo Soo-min
Staff Reporter

The Pyongyang Broadcasting Station reported on Tuesday that North Korea agreed to hold the second six-party talks on Feb. 25 in China to resolve the standoff over its nuclear programs.

``Regarding the event of the second six-way talks, (North Korea) and the United States, the two primary nations in the talks, and China agreed to start talks Feb. 25,’ the state-run news agency reported on Tuesday. The other parties, including China, Russia and Japan have also given their consent, according to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, which was quoted in the news report.

Beijing, which hosted the first talks from Aug. 27 to 29 last year, will remain the venue for talks after nearly half a year of standstill.

Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Soo-hyuck yesterday confirmed the report.

``The government conducted close consultations with the relevant countries over the second six-party talks,’’ Lee said

He added the Feb. 25 date was South Korea’s idea, which was relayed to the Chinese side some time ago.

Pyongyang’s acceptance of the dates can be seen as an answer to a counterproposal drawn up jointly by Seoul, Washington and Tokyo officials at the three-party consultations Jan. 21 to 22.

During the deliberations, the three nations came to consensus that discussion of the six-party talks should center on a nuclear freeze, as opposed to an immediate scrapping of all nukes.

But members of the trio also said they would object to a nuclear program based on highly enriched uranium (HEU), the existence of which has not been confirmed.

Thus the talks are expected to be an uphill process. Seoul officials, however, retained their optimism.

``We have no big expectations for the talks, but the talks are expected to clarify what exactly the different countries’ positions are,’’ said Deputy Foreign Minister Lee who will head the South Korean delegation.

``Not all will be solved at the second talks, but we expect more actual, technical negotiations to take place once a working group is formed.’’

Lee added he will meet his U.S. and Japanese counterparts seven to 10 days ahead of the talks to hone their strategies.

The nuclear crisis emerged in October 2002, when the North reportedly admitted to a U.S. delegation that it was operating a covert HEU program. Pyongyang officials claim they have never made such remarks to the U.S. delegates.

The first six-party talks were realized as a result of intense mediating efforts by China and South Korea. But it ended without producing a meaningful result.

North Korea claims its nuclear weapons program are needed for survival, and has offered to give it up if the U.S. gives a security guarantee.

The U.S. has indicated a willingness to do so, but on condition that Pyongyang first completely abolishes its nuclear programs.

ssm@koreatimes.co.kr