| South Korea's president says he is sure that | | | | conference marking five years since former |
| multinational negotiations on ending North Korea's | | | | President Kim Dae-jung's historic summit with |
| nuclear programs will resume. He and other world | | | | North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. |
| leaders threw their support behind diplomacy with | | | | That June 2000 meeting was widely viewed as a |
| the North at a conference marking a historic | | | | triumph for President Kim's policy of engagement |
| North-South meeting. | | | | with the North, known as the Sunshine Policy, |
| President Roh Moo-hyun says the next round of | | | | which the present government is continuing. |
| nuclear talks will be "more proactive" in persuading | | | | At the same conference, former President Kim |
| Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons | | | | said a nuclear-armed North Korea cannot be |
| programs. | | | | accepted, and urged the United States to offer |
| Mr. Roh urges North Korea to decide now to give | | | | Pyongyang security guarantees to give them up. |
| up its nuclear arms, which he says would lay the | | | | Mr. Kim said if the North does not completely give |
| groundwork for increased economic growth. | | | | up its nuclear weapons after receiving U.S. |
| For a year, North Korea has boycotted nuclear | | | | security pledges, then the United States and its |
| talks, which also involve Japan, China, Russia, and | | | | partners should take "stern but peaceful" |
| the United States. Despite previous pledges not to | | | | measures. |
| build nuclear weapons, it says it will continue to | | | | North Korea has never responded to a package |
| add to its nuclear arsenal. | | | | of security and economic offers Washington |
| The president's comments Monday came just | | | | made last June. The Bush administration has ruled |
| days after he met with President Bush in | | | | out offering additional inducements to North Korea |
| Washington and discussed ways to get | | | | before it returns to the bargaining table. |
| Pyongyang back to the table. On Friday, the two | | | | Pyongyang says it is boycotting the talks because |
| leaders re-affirmed their commitment to ending | | | | of what it calls a hostile U.S. attitude - the state |
| the standoff over North Korea's nuclear ambitions | | | | news media have said repeatedly that Washington |
| through diplomacy. | | | | plans to attack the country. President Bush says |
| Mr. Roh was speaking Monday at a Seoul | | | | the United States has no intention of attacking. |