DATE=9/13/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=NORTH KOREA MISSILE (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-253793
BYLINE=HYUN SUNG KHANG
DATELINE=SEOUL
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


INTRO: The United States says that it has come to 
agreement with North Korea over Pyongyang's missile 
program, following six days of talks in Berlin. But as 
Hyun-Sung Khang reports from the South Korean capital, 
the exact details of any agreement have yet to be made 
public.

TEXT:  President Clinton's National Security advisor, 
Sandy Berger, said North Korea agreed not to test fire 
any missile while talks continued on how to improve 
relations between the two countries. 

As a consequence of the agreement, United States 
officials will consider a number of measures to ease 
economic sanctions against the reclusive state and are 
expected to make recommendations to the President.  

It is unclear which of the myriad of economic 
sanctions against Pyongyang might be lifted, but one 
major South Korean newspaper said that the United 
States had agreed to take North Korea off its list of 
enemy states.  Media reports from Seoul say that the 
two countries will hold expert-level talks on the 
issue, during which the details of any agreement would 
be hammered out.

Mr. Berger's comments come after six days of talks in 
Berlin between representatives from the United States 
and North Korea.  Following the meeting, the two 
countries issued a joint statement saying that both 
countries would try to preserve a positive atmosphere 
conducive to peace and security in the region. 

United States officials say each side had reached a 
deeper understanding of the other's concerns and had 
acknowledged the need to continue taking steps to 
address those concerns.

The agreement - which was widely reported in South 
Korea before being officially announced -- has been 
hailed by one South Korean paper as a
"major breakthrough" and as the first step towards 
dismantling the Cold War structure on the Korean 
peninsula.  

It has also been welcomed by South Korean President, 
Kim Dae Jung, who said Seoul would faithfully play a 
role in implementing the agreement.  

News of the deal comes a day after President Kim's 
meeting at the APEC summit with President Clinton and 
the Japanese Prime Minister, Keizo
Obuchi.  During their talks, the leaders discussed 
ways of discouraging North Korea from test firing a 
missile.

Intelligence reports suggested that North Korea had 
been preparing to test fire a second long-range 
missile, which may have the capability to reach parts 
of the United States.  The first was fired over Japan, 
just over a year ago and since then the United States, 
Japan and South Korea have been engaged in a concerted 
bid to prevent a second launch by Pyongyang.

NEB/HSK/GC/PLM



13-Sep-1999 06:46 AM EDT (13-Sep-1999 1046 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.