By Seo Soo-min
Staff Reporter

South Korea and China are working together for the realization of a second round of six-way talks aimed at easing the North Korean nuclear standoff, Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun said on Thursday.

``China and South Korea are seeking to actively mediate the demands of the United States and North Korea,’’ Jeong said in a weekly briefing to reporters.

The U.S. and North Korea have been unable to narrow their differences on central issues to be dealt with at the talks, to be attended also by Russia and Japan. Washington and Pyongyang officials earlier this week said a realization of talks by month’s end seemed unlikely.

But the unification minister said there exists a possibility that the talks may still be held in December.

He said there may be progress at the ongoing three-way consultations in Washington between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan.

Also, China, after a Dec. 9 meeting between its premier Wen Jiabao with U.S. President George W. Bush, said it ``will again contact North Korea’’ on the six-way talks, he added.

``Things may work out as scheduled,’’ Jeong said. Dec. 17 had been tapped as the likely starting date for the second six-nation meeting.

Jeong also said there is a need for the U.S. as an ally to address South Korea’s fears of the North Korean nuclear crisis escalating.

``Our position is that North Korea should not make too many demands on the U.S., and that the U.S. should also show a bit more eased position on the North Koreans’ demands to maintain the momentum for dialogue,’’ he said.

Although South Korea’s dispatch of additional troops to Iraq is not linked to the North Korean nuclear crisis, it is a sign of Seoul’s commitment to the ROK-U.S. alliance, Jeong added.

``What we are saying is, since we will do our part in the ROK-U.S. alliance, we hope the U.S. also gives more consideration of our citizens’ fears and cooperate towards a resolution of the nuclear dispute,’’ the minister said.

Jeong, in the meantime, sharply criticized remarks made by Hwang Jang-yop, the highest-ranking North Korean official to defect to the South.

Hwang said in a speech Wednesday that Seoul’s engagement policy towards Pyongyang is leading to little changes of the regime, and added humanitarian aid is sustaining the dictatorial regime.

``There are no fundamental changes taking place in the North, but there are nevertheless meaningful ones,’’ Jeong said.

ssm@koreatimes.co.kr