Former President Jimmy Carter Seeking Trip To N. Korea: Sources

[Purveyor]

WASHINGTON, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter may soon travel to North Korea as part of his efforts, not always fruitful, to broker the resumption of dialogue and win the release of a Korean-American man detained there, diplomatic sources said Wednesday.

But the South Korean and U.S. governments apparently take a dim view of Carter's possible trip to North Korea out of concern that the communist nation may try to exploit it for propaganda purposes.

Carter recently sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, calling for talks with North Korea and expressing his intent to visit Pyongyang again, a source said, requesting anonymity.

"North Korea appears to have invited him to visit," the source said.

If Carter makes a trip to Pyongyang, he is expected to use it as a chance to request the release of Kenneth Bae, a tour operator held in the North for nearly half a year, according to another source.

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http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2013/05/02/26/0301000000AEN20130502000200315F.HTML

[ananda]

1. If anyone can broker a redemptive dialogue, Carter can.

However, it's NK . . . .

[Purveyor]

3. He should take Bill Richardson with him too. He has done some good work with NK in the past.

[still_one]

2. Why would they have a dim view of this?

Last edited Thu May 2, 2013, 01:43 PM - Edit history (1)

[Purveyor]

4. Because...god forbid diplomacy be tried! We might look 'weak'... /sarcasm off

[still_one]

6. I really believe egos are involved here. They should welcome this

[no_hypocrisy]

5. I don't know how Carter would be denied but Dennis Rodman was allowed to

not only visit N. Korea, but to hang with its leader.

[NYC Liberal]

7. I think the difference is that Carter would be acting as an official representative of the US.

At least that's what would seem to be the case.

[killbotfactory]

8. NK uses everything as propaganda, so what?

Who is fooled by North Korean propaganda except North Koreans who aren't exposed to anything else? Why should that stop people of any significance from dealing with their government?

[Purveyor]

9. Of course 'propaganda' is foreign and never deployed by our gov't? LOL!!! eom

[KinMd]

10. We should never negotiate out of fear..

but we should never fear to negotiate

John F Kennedy