비건 "러시아 대사직 안 맡는다... 北 응답 듣는대로 실무협상 재개할 것"<br /><br />U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, has said the U.S. is ready to engage in talks with the North if the regime's willing.<br />His remark came in a meeting with his South Korean counterpart and Seoul's unification minister earlier today, where he also dismissed rumors that he will become the ambassador to Russia.<br />Oh Jung-hee reports.<br />Washington is prepared to start talks as soon as the North is ready.<br />That's according to U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, speaking to reporters Wednesday at Seoul's foreign ministry, after meeting his South Korean counterpart Lee Do-hoon.<br />Biegun said... he was assigned by President Trump two months ago... to resume working-level negotiations with Pyeongyang... after the Kim-Trump meeting at the Demilitarized Zone.<br />Biegun stressed... that he's fully committed to this task.<br />"Regarding the restarting of the negotiation, we're prepared to engage as soon as we hear from our counterparts in North Korea."<br />He then denied recent rumors that he'd be leaving his post and become U.S. ambassador to Moscow.<br />"I wanted to dispel any rumors that I'll be leaving this portfolio to take up an ambassadorship abroad. I will not be taking up a diplomatic posting in the Russian Federation, and I will remain focused on making progress on North Korea."<br />Meeting at the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjeom in late June, Kim Jong-un and President Trump had promised... to resume working-level talks in two or three weeks.<br />But the North did not respond to U.S. proposals, and so that didn't come true.<br />Soon after, Pyeongyang started condemning Seoul and Washington... for holding a joint military exercise.<br />But with the drills having ended on Tuesday, it is possible that North Korea and the U.S. could meet soon.<br />Two weeks ago, Kim Jong-un wrote to President Trump that he'd like to start negotiations as soon as the drills are over.<br />Later on Wednesday, Biegun met with Seoul's Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul as well.<br />He will wrap up his visit on Thursday after meeting with the deputy chief of South Korea's National Security Council, Kim Hyun-chong.<br />Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.<br />
