Asia-Pacific

Shots fired at tense Korean border

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-10-08 07:07

AHEAD OF ABE VISIT

The latest incident comes a day before new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's planned visit to Beijing, then to Seoul on Monday with talks certain to be dominated by North Korea.

China and South Korea are the main suppliers of aid to the North and have in the past balked at Japan's hard line against Pyongyang.

The Security Council statement urged Pyongyang to return immediately to six-party talks.

The two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States have held talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. North Korea quit them a year ago and refuses to return until Washington ends a financial squeeze.

Both Russia and China have suggested U.S. officials talk to Pyongyang directly, but Washington has turned this down unless it occurred on the fringes of the six-party talks.

The Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun quoted U.S. and North Korean sources as saying that North Korea's deputy ambassador to the United Nations will be transferred back to North Korea and his post might not be refilled.

It said Han Song-ryol was in charge of contacts with the United States and that his departure gave the appearance that directions had been given to forbid diplomatic contact with the United States. No further details were given.

TEST ON SUNDAY?

Three senior U.S. officials with access to intelligence told Reuters that U.S. speculation about a possible test centred on Sunday, the anniversary of when Kim became head of the national defense commission in 1997.

They said Pyongyang, which has in the past timed bold actions and announcements to coincide with significant dates, could also choose Monday, North Korea Workers' Party Day as well as the U.S. holiday for explorer Christopher Columbus.

Missile tests by North Korea in July were widely anticipated because satellite pictures showed them being prepared for launch.

A Chinese source briefed by Pyongyang said North Korea planned to conduct its test about 6,600 feet underground in an abandoned coal mine in the north of the country.

"They are more or less ready," the source told Reuters. He did not give a timetable.