S. Korea, U.S., Japan to seek sampling from N. Korean nuke facilities

TOKYO, Dec. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, Japan and the United States on Wednesday
reaffirmed their decision to push for a deal with North Korea that wil allow
inspectors to take samples from its nuclear sites.
"We agreed that it is necessary to take samples to verify North Korea's
declaration of its nuclear program," South Korea's top negotiator Kim Sook told
reporters in Tokyo after meeting with his American and Japanese counterparts. "We
will make efforts to put it in writing during the forthcoming six-party talks (on
the North Korean nuclear program)."
The tripartite meeting marked the start of full-scale diplomatic contacts among
the related parties ahead of the resumption of the six-way talks, which have
tentatively been slated for next week. The other members, including North Korea,
are China and Russia.
Washington's chief negotiator Christopher Hill plans to hold talks with his North
Korean counterpart Kim Kye-gwan in Singapore on Thursday to resolve the dispute
over the sampling, which Pyongyang has balked at.
(END)