(LEAD) Seoul pushes for cooperation with N. Korea, China
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, first 2 paras to reflect foreign ministry's stance)
SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has proposed to China a three-way cooperation with North Korea in a bid to enhance its mini-lateral diplomacy, a ranking foreign ministry official said Sunday.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se proposed such trilateral cooperation to his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, when they met in Beijing on Nov. 7, according to the official, who asked not to be named.
Yun had met with Wang ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
"At the foreign ministers' meeting, Seoul made an offer to China to have the three-way talks someday," the official said. "It would be difficult to have such talks in the near future, given several factors. But should such a meeting take place, it will be possible to consider a variety of (cooperative) projects."
The proposal came as Seoul has been ramping up efforts to push so-called mini-lateral diplomacy, along with bilateral talks.
In September, Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo held a meeting of senior foreign ministry officials, the first since November 2013, amid frayed ties beset by Japan's historical revisionism.
The official said three-way cooperation would strengthen Seoul's vision for cooperation in non-political areas in Northeast Asia as well as the initiative for infrastructure development between Eurasia countries.
Relations between China and North Korea have been somewhat strained since Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test last year despite international appeals for restraint. Leaders from South Korea and China agreed to step up their efforts to induce the North to abandon its nuclear weapons programs during a summit on the sidelines of the APEC forum.
The official said that Japan is eager to hold a trilateral summit between Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing, contrary to the view that Japan is an obstacle to the three-way talks.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Nov. 13 proposed a trilateral summit with her Chinese and Japanese counterparts in the near future during her trip to Myanmar at a meeting between ASEAN and its three Northeast Asian dialogue partners -- South Korea, China and Japan.
The foreign ministry official said that Japan's eagerness seemed to be based on the belief that such a summit could pave the way for China-Japan contact.
"There were questions about whether China would accept the offer for the trilateral summit. But we have learned that at least China is positive about having a three-way foreign ministers' meeting," he said. Seoul has said that the government will make efforts to hold the top diplomats' meeting within this year.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)
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