U.S. envoy says stopover in Seoul en route to Pyongyang "intended"

SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Stephen Bosworth, U.S. envoy to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), said Monday that his stopover in Seoul en route to Pyongyang was "intended," signaling to the outer world that the United States and South Korea were in close consultations on the DPRK.

"That was not an accident. We intended that," he said at the start of a closed meeting with South Korea's chief nuclear envoy, Wi Sung-lac, in Seoul a day before he heads for Pyongyang.

The U.S. envoy's remarks came as responses to Wi's comments that Bosworth's decision to stop by Seoul before traveling to Pyongyang demonstrated that the two allies were in close consultations on the DPRK.

Bosworth also met with Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan earlier in the day, and is scheduled to hold a meeting with Kim Sung-hwan, senior secretary to President Lee Myung-bak for security and foreign affairs.

The U.S. envoy, accompanied by four other members including Sung Kim, U.S. negotiator to the six-party talks, will leave for the DPRK Tuesday morning from the Osan Air Force Base.

Bosworth's trip to Pyongyang is reportedly made in purpose of persuading the DPRK back to the six-way nuclear talks.

Wrapping up his stay in Pyongyang on Thursday, Bosworth will return to Seoul, where he will brief the Seoul government on the result of the trip.

He will fly to Beijing on Friday, and head for Washington on Dec. 15 after visiting Tokyo and Moscow.