Richardson Arrives In North Korea

Presidential Hopeful Visits Days Before Crucial Nuclear Deadline

(AP)  Bill Richardson, the New Mexico governor who has undertaken diplomatic missions to countries at odds with the United States, began a rare visit to isolated North Korea Sunday to recover remains of American servicemen killed in the Korean War.

The four-day trip, which has been endorsed by the Bush administration, comes days before a crucial deadline in a recent nuclear disarmament accord. But Richardson, a Democratic candidate for president, said he had no intention of negotiating nuclear matters.

"It could be the signal of an improved relationship," Richardson said of the discussions to secure U.S. remains. "The North Koreans always consider protocol very important. They like to be considered a major power in the region," he told The Associated Press on the flight to the capital Pyongyang.

North Korea made a breakthrough agreement on nuclear disarmament on Feb. 13, raising hopes for an end to a long-running standoff with the United States and regional powers. The agreement set an April 14 deadline for the North to shut down its main nuclear reactor.

Despite the breakthrough nuclear agreement in February, there has been little progress since. The impoverished North has refused further negotiations due to the delayed transfer of $25 million in the regime's money frozen by Macau authorities after the U.S. blacklisted a bank in that Chinese administrative region in 2005 for allegedly helping Pyongyang launder money.

Some worry that delay could hold up implementation of the disarmament agreement.

The State Department said Friday that a hitch stalling the release of the funds had been resolved, potentially clearing the way for the disbursement of the money. No details were released on when or how the money would be transferred.

North Korea's defense minister praised the country's nuclear program on Sunday at a meeting of top officials and said the North had achieved status as a nuclear power.

North Korea "has legitimately ranked itself among the nuclear weapons states," Vice Marshal Kim Il Chol said, according to a report from the official Korean Central News Agency.

Richardson has regularly made diplomatic trips, often on his own initiative, to a number of global hot spots. Though visits to North Korea by senior U.S. officials are rare, this was Richardson's sixth.

A former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and energy secretary in the Clinton administration, Richardson also visited Sudan in January to try to end four years of fighting in the Darfur region.

Richardson said the timing of his visit is important and will show North Korea the United States' good intentions. He said the North Koreans will understand the symbolism of a delegation that includes Anthony Principi, Bush's former veteran affairs secretary, and Victor Cha, a top adviser on North Korea.

His group is expected to oversee the transfer of remains from the North Korean army to U.N. personnel.

More than 33,000 American troops died in the Korean War from 1950-1953, and more than 8,100 are listed as missing. After North Korea invaded South Korea, U.S. forces intervened on behalf of the South while Chinese forces backed the North.

After Richardson's arrival, his delegation was handed a schedule for the next several days that included talks and dinner with North Korean officials who follow North American affairs, a performance by the national symphony orchestra and a visit to the "spy ship," the USS Pueblo.

The communist regime seized the ship along with its crew of 82 in 1968. The crew was released after 11 months, and the Pueblo, moored to the bank of the Taedong River in Pyongyang, is now the site of tours to inspire anti-U.S. sentiment among the country's 23 million people.

A visit to the home of the late Kim Il Sung, the founding president of North Korea, was also planned.

Richardson said he requested to meet with top leaders and to visit the North's sole operating nuclear reactor at Yongbyon, 55 miles north of Pyongyang.

On Wednesday, the delegation plans to drive from Pyongyang to South Korea, hopefully with the U.S. remains. However, Richardson said the way the North typically operates made it difficult to predict how the trip would go.

"It's the nature of the regime. They want to keep you off-balance," he said.

The drive from the airport to the guesthouse where Richardson's delegation is staying passed few cars. The roads were filled with cyclists and people leading oxen-drawn carts.

That reflects the poverty in the country, Richardson said.

"In the countryside, the most I have ever seen is one mechanized tractor. Everyone's working the fields with their hands."

On the plane trip over, Richardson's delegation watched the 2006 movie "Behind Enemy Lines II, Axis of Evil." It is a story of a group of U.S. Navy Seals who have to fight their way out of North Korea after being sent there to destroy a missile site.

[harp1963]

North Korea is the perfect example of how incompetant this administration is when it comes to diplomacy.

In the beginning of Bush's first term there were actually U.N cameras and weapon inspectors who kept watch on their full rods. After Bush PUBLICLY listed them as one of the Nation on his "axis of evil" list the cameras were turned off and the inspectors were not allowed in anymore. Seven years and lots of work later we're still not back to that kind of openness.

Bush needs to be impeeched. He would bankrupt a kids lemonaid stand if he was in charge of it. The Republicans want to talk about the low unemployment, but bypass talk about the largest deficit in the history of the nation with the baby boomers on the verge of retirement.

Most of the jobs created are 5.15 an hour jobs anyway(the plantation owner economy). Gas is $2.86 a gallon. These guys are a joke.

[homespunlady]

"Richardson has regularly made diplomatic trips, often on his own initiative, to a number of countries at odds with the United States."

No outcry or warning to not go here or over the other trips taken ON HIS OWN INITIATIVE. Maybe if Pelosi was treated this way, the embarassing media circus and awkward political bravado wouldn't have ensued. But what do you expect with fundamentalist misogynists. It's become more than obvious there's a double standard based on gender with most fundamentalists on both sides of the ocean.

The Pelosi thing aside, I think this is definitely a step in the right direction. Although there's reassurances that it's not political in nature, how could it not be; but it is MATURE in it's political nature. Yes, the funds are being freed and some may see it as a payoff but they were originally North Korean funds.
As an added benefit getting the remains of some of our brave military back certainly helps answer some questions their families may have had.

Now if we could be as MATURE concerning the situations in the Middle East and our current wars....AH, now THAT would be progress.

[fairandbal]

Diplomacy works folks. Cowboy Bush never took a trip outside this country before he became president and look what that gave us!
It's time we embrace leaders who are out there talking instead of bullying and killing.

[forthepeopl1]

as you can see no one in the world wants to talk to a trader of his own counrty. bush and cheney should be up in front of america on there knees praying for forgiveness that all america will not give them.

i will be sueing the us government on the basic of detroying the econ/higher interest on home loans that is now crippleing americans hard working famelys.

[billpl-2009]

Everyone gripes and groans over all of our stupid elected officials, yet we have here is a guy who could really run our country correctly, but we all know better...he doesn't stand a rats-a ssed chance of getting elected.
go figure....

[sjc_1]

Richardson is a former energy secretary. If anyone knows what they have been up to, it is this guy and they know he knows. Good choice of people to send there at this juncture.

[randalds]

What a fantastic choice for Secretary of State or UN Ambassador for the next government in 2009! A brilliant man and a brilliant negotiator. And unlike many other politicos, a genuinely honest and good American. I wonder how he's managed to survive in politics that way? Oh well, go for it Bill. You make us all proud!

[bluestardad]

Richardson has way more credibility than our current secretary of state. She has NO ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE!

[randalds]

Richardson has way more credibility than our current secretary of state. She has NO ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE!
Posted by bluestardad at 04:52 PM : Apr 08, 2007

The only "intelligent" thing Condi ever did was to become Bush's mistress to grease her way up the policital ladder. I wonder if she thinks it was really worth it? UGH!

[forthepeopl1]

AGAIN WITH LIES WHAT WILL IT TAKE BEFORE AMERICA HAS HAD ANOUGH..WHEN IS SOMEONE IN OUR CONGRESS GOING TO SAY IT. THEY NEED TO BE ARRESTED AND TRIED FOR TREASON/MURDER. COME ON AMERICA WHAT ARE YOU THINKING..ARE YOU THAT STUPID....

[homespunlady]

Watch what happens the next few days in the mideast. The shiites are ticked.

[acauble1]

I'll vote for Bill Richardson in my state's primary, but if he doesn't make President, I surely hope that someone picks him to be Secretary of State!

Even though he's served in the Presidential cabinet before, Bill would definitely be fitting for the highest cabinet position in the land!

[acauble1]

I'll vote for Bill Richardson in my state's primary, but if he doesn't make President, I surely hope that someone picks him to be Secretary of State!

Even though he's served in the Presidential cabinet before, Bill would definitely be fitting for the highest cabinet position in the land!

[bmsbms29]

Richardson is not going there to find & collect the remains of our soldiers who died in the Korean War.
Good for him.

Politcally - don't know much about the guy but anyone would be better than the demo- shemonster running.