Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Richard Armitage was to arrive in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss the proposed National Missile Defense system and Washington’s review of policy toward North Korea.
Armitage is being accompanied by Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly.
A Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry spokesman said the two officials will make courtesy calls on President Kim Dae-jung and Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Han Seung-soo on Wednesday.
On Thursday, they will confer with Unification Minister Lim Dong-won — Seoul’s point man on North Korean affairs — and Defense Minister Kim Dong-shin.
They were also to discuss the missile defense system with Foreign Ministry officials.
Relations between South and North Korea have been stymied since the Bush administration entered office and began its review of relations between Washington and Pyongyang.
South Korean President Kim has urged Washington to complete its policy review quickly and resume talks with the North.
North Korea has complained bitterly of what it calls Washington’s hardened attitude and has renewed demands for an immediate withdrawal of the 37,000 U.S. troops stationed in the South.
The Seoul government has not voiced an official position on Bush’s National Missile Defense proposal.
A number of South Korean legislators, including some from the ruling Millennium Democratic Party have announced their strong opposition, however.
Numerous civic groups in the South also are opposed.
They believe if Bush goes ahead with the plan it could seriously damage relations between the two Koreas that has been slowly improving since the historic Inter-Korean Summit last June. North Korea — one of the so-called "rogue states" the system is designed to provide protection against — is vigorously opposed to the plan.
China and Russia also are strongly opposed, saying the system could trigger an arms race in Northeast Asia.
Several European nations have expressed the same concerns.
The State Department has said Armitage, who came to Seoul from Japan, will go to India on Friday to try to drum up support for the missile defense system. Kelly is to travel to Australia, Singapore, Vietnam and China.
Bae Gi-chul contributed to this report.