By Reuben Staines
Staff Reporter


Alexander Vershbow

North Korea is a ``criminal regime’’ engaged in drug trafficking and money counterfeiting, a top U.S. diplomat said Wednesday, rejecting the communist state’s demand for Washington to lift recently imposed economic sanctions.
Alexander Vershbow, U.S. ambassador to South Korea, issued the scathing rebuttal during a meeting with senior domestic journalists of the Kwanhun Club in Seoul. ``This is a criminal regime and you can’t somehow remove sanctions as a political gesture when this regime is engaging in dangerous activities such as weapons exports to rogue states,’’ Vershbow said.

Top South Korean officials expressed disappointment with the ambassador’s comments, saying the U.S. should avoid provoking the North while talks over its nuclear weapons programs remain delicately poised.

``Related countries need wisdom to refrain from using expressions (unfavorable to) dialogue partners,’’ Ban Ki-moon, minister of foreign affairs and trade, said when asked for comment.

The U.S. ambassador, who took the post just under two months ago, also stirred controversy by describing North Korea as the first government to run a state program of foreign currency counterfeiting since Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

North Korea watchers predicted a stormy response from Pyongyang, similar to the diplomatic furor that followed U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s description of the communist nation as an ``outpost of tyranny.’’

Prospects for an agreement between North Korea and the U.S. have darkened in recent weeks. Upset at the financial sanctions imposed by the U.S., Pyongyang earlier this week said it will boycott six-nation negotiations over its nuclear weapons programs until the U.S. agrees to hold high-level talks to resolve the issue.

Washington imposed sanctions in June and September against North Korea-linked firms believed to be involved in proliferating weapons of mass destruction and counterfeiting U.S. currency.

During the meeting, Vershbow accused North Korea of using the financial sanctions as an ``artificial obstacle’’ to stall talks on the nuclear issue, which have dragged on since mid 2003. ``We are ready to negotiate on the nuclear issue right now,’’ he said.

Seoul has been pushing to resume the nuclear talks during January, after holding a preparatory session on the southern resort island of Cheju this month.

Journalists sought to expose chinks in traditional Seoul-Washington alliance during the breakfast meeting with Vershbow, his first major face-off with the South Korean media.

He stood firm, however, saying the alliance has successfully faced challenges and begun to transform. ``I think we have defied some of the pessimists and found political will to bring the alliance up to date. I think that makes it even stronger.’’

Diplomatic frustrations with the U.S. government and anti-American sentiment among young South Koreans have grown over the past five years as the country’s relations with North Korea thawed.

Vershbow also saw economic ties between South Korea and the U.S. strengthening.

Long-delayed negotiations on working out a free trade agreement should begin in early spring, Vershbow said, adding that he hoped the deal will be ratified within one year.

President Roh Moo-hyun and U.S. President George W. Bush agreed to fast track the FTA during their summit meeting in the ancient capital of Kyongju last month.

In addition, the U.S. ambassador said he expected South Korea to lift its ban on U.S. beef imports ``early in the new year.’’ Seoul has banned U.S. beef imports due to a Mad Cow Disease scare.

rjs@koreatimes.co.kr