BEIJING, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- Envoys from the six countries negotiating North Korea's nuclear dismantlement began gathering in Beijing Wednesday.
China has been hosting the talks among North and South Korea, Japan, Russia and the United States since 2003, and Thursday's meeting will be to plan the dismantlement of Pyongyang's five shut down nuclear facilities, the Yonhap news agency reported.
South Korean delegate Chun Yung-woo held closed-door talks with his U.S. counterpart, Christopher Hill, and told reporters before the meeting the group was in uncharted territory.
"Because the disablement-and-declaration phase is a road no one has ever walked on, setting a guideline and a milestone is going to be that difficult and important,"
In February, North Korea agreed to close its reactor and uranium enrichment facilities. In exchange, South Korea provided 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil for electricity production. When the second phase -- dismantlement -- is complete, Pyongyang will receive an additional 950,000 tons of heavy oil or equivalent aid, the deal stipulates.
