Repercussions of actions against banks

2006-04-012T22:03:33-05:00

Top officials from the six nations engaged in nuclear disarmament talks converge on Tokyo for a “Track 2” academic conference, sponsored by the University of California's Institute of Global Conflict and Cooperation. With the top US and DPRK chief negotiators Chris Hill and Kim Kye Gwan both attending the meeting, officials on all sides are at pains to explain repeatedly that no bilateral contact is in the offing.

In Pyongyang for talks with the DPRK military, PRC Defence Minister Cao Gangchuan, blames mistrust between the USA and the DPRK for the current stalemate in the Six-Party Talks.

According to "credible" reports cited by a South Korean intelligence officer, DPRK officials have been spotted wearing lapel pins with a picture of Kim Jong Il's second son -- the clearest indication to date that Kim Jong Chol may be the most likely candidate to succeed his father.

The greatest hurdle facing resumption of the Six Party Talks is Pyongyang’s refusal to participate following the blacklisting of a bank in Macao, thereby restricting much of DPRK’s business ventures. Although Washington argues that these measures are to be considered separate from the nuclear issue, some analysts agree that it is the most successful strategy for putting pressure on Pyongyang to date. This week’s CanKor FOCUS brings us up-to-date with the latest news on US Treasury sanctions, speculates on what next steps might be, and presents the latest response to the issue by the DPRK.