South Korea will talk about possible nuclear cooperation between Myanmar and North Korea when a senior diplomat visits the Southeast Asian country next week, the foreign ministry here announced Monday.
Vice Foreign Minister Shin Kak-soo is scheduled to visit Myanmar from Aug. 19-21,
where he will deliver Seoul's message encouraging fair elections on Nov. 7, according to ministry spokesman Kim Young-son. The elections will be the country's first in two decades.
Shin is also expected to address the suspected nuclear ties between Myanmar and North Korea.
"Our government is keeping a close eye on possible military cooperation between Myanmar and North Korea, including nuclear cooperation," Kim said. "We're working with the United States and other relevant states but we have not yet
confirmed anything regarding nuclear ties. But Shin will have discussions on North Korea-Myanmar relations of late during his visit."
North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun visited his Myanmarian counterpart U Nyan Win in late July, the first trip to the Southeast Asian country by a North Korean foreign minister in 27 years, amid U.S. warnings to Myanmar against nuclear cooperation with the North.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was once quoted as saying, "We continue to be
concerned by the reports that Burma may be seeking assistance from North Korea with
regard to a nuclear program," referring to Myanmar by its former name.
State Department spokesman Philip Crowley also said the U.S. doesn't "see the transparency" in the Myanmar-North Korea ties and that Myanmar has
obligations to avoid engaging North Korea, which he called "a serial proliferator."
Myanmar severed ties with North Korea in 1983 after Pyongyang's bombing of a South
Korean presidential delegation on its visit to the Southeast Asian nation. Relations were restored in 2007.