By Oh Young-jin
Korea Times Correspondent


U.S. Assistant Secretary of State
James Kelly

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A senior U.S. official said on Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is a ``rational’’ leader who would be able to transform his impoverished Stalinist state once he resolves the nuclear standoff with the international community.

``Many accusations that he (Kim Jong-il) is some sort of crazy person are not correct,’’ U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly said in an exclusive interview with The Korea Times at his office in the State Department. He said Kim’s leadership is one that is unique and rational.

Kelly, who heads the U.S. effort to deal with the North Korean nuclear crisis, dismissed the speculation the impoverished nation will collapse anytime soon.

``It would be a mistake to somehow suggest that the country is inherently unstable and its Army-first policy guarantees a kind of built-in stability,’’ said the leader of the U.S. delegation to the past three rounds of six-party talks aimed at peacefully resolving the crisis. The six parties are made up of South Korea, North Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the U.S.

The fourth round of talks were scheduled for September this year but was not realized due to Pyongyang’s refusal.

Saying that he was disappointed at the North’s reluctance to come to the negotiating table, Kelly voiced concern about the possibility of nuclear weapons testing.

``It is not at all certain that they will do so (conduct nuclear tests),’’ he said. ``If they choose to do so… those of us who firmly believe that North Korea has nuclear weapons, certainly more than one, would be perhaps disappointed but not at all surprised,’’ he said.

Regarding their level of nuclear weapons development, he said it was, however, not essential in their nuclear program to have atmospheric or underground testing.

Asked whether the North’s increased nuclear arsenal will change U.S. policy toward the North, he said, ``Six or 12 nuclear bombs, nuclear bombs in the abstract are very unusable.’’

``I am convinced North Korea has some nuclear weapons and has the capability to do so but it makes us all the more determined not to accept North Korea as a nuclear power, either acknowledged or unacknowledged,’’ he said.

If the North agrees to dismantle all of its nuclear programs, he said the North can expect the current armistice agreement on the Korean peninsula to be replaced with a multi-party peace treaty and eventually hope for the normalization of relations.

``It is not a case in which North Korea has to do everything before we do anything,’’ he said. ``It is quite opposite. The words for words and actions for actions concept is alive and well.’’

As for the U.S. stance on a second round of the inter-Korean summit, Kelly indicated Washington is less than enthusiastic. ``I don’t know if it will help or hurt. If the South Korean government chooses to do so and comes and speaks to us about it, we will give them an answer at that time. In the six-party talks, South Korea hears them (North Koreans) firsthand,’’ he said.

Regarding a series of President Roh Moo-hyun’s remarks widely viewed as sympathetic toward the North, Kelly said, ``He is a democratic politician and was elected by different people with different views. What we have to do is listen to what President Roh says to us directly and interpret that in a variety of ways.’’

oh@koreatimes.co.kr