North, South Korea Hold Direct Nuclear Talks

Posted July 22nd, 2011 at 5:44 am (UTC-5)
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South Korean officials say nuclear envoys from North and South Korea held talks Friday on the sidelines of the ASEAN security conference in Bali, Indonesia.

Diplomats said it was the first meeting between chief nuclear envoys from the two countries since six-party nulear talks collapsed in December of 2008.

The South's Yonhap news agency said Wi Sung-lac, South Korea's nuclear envoy and the North's Ri Yong Ho discussed a wide range of nuclear disarmament issues at the informal meeting.

Neither side released any details about the talks.

North Korea's two nuclear tests in the past five years triggered international sanctions against Pyongyang.

South Korea, the U.S., Russia, China and Japan have been pushing for a resumption of the six-party talks. All six parties are attending the ASEAN conference.