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New Mexico Governor and former U.S. United Nations ambassador Bill Richardson may be coming in from the political cold and heading to North Korea.
President Barack Obama is reportedly considering a North Korean request to send Richardson to Pyongyang to help mediate the current diplomatic crisis over the North’s sinking of the South Korean Navy ship Cheonan.
U.S. and South Korean investigators concluded the Cheonan’s March 26 sinking was the result of a torpedo attack by a North Korea submarine.
The U.N. Security Council condemned the attack July 9.
Tensions are now rising as additional U.S. Navy ships arrive in the region for scheduled U.S./South Korean naval exercises this week.
South Korea asked the U.S. not to send any high-ranking officials to talks with North Korea before the North accepts responsibility for the sinking, which killed 46 South Korean sailors.
But deputy North Korean United Nations ambassador Han Song-ryol invited Richardson in May to visit Pyongyang to discuss the sinking, JoongAng Daily, a South Korean newspaper, reported Monday morning.
Obama is reportedly seeking a way past the current crisis so that new talks may begin on North Korea’s nuclear arms program. Sending Richardson could achieve that goal without offending South Korea.
Richardson urged the White House to allow him to accept the invitation, according to the South Korean news report.
Richardson has played an important role in U.S./North Korean diplomacy over much of the past decade. In 2003, the North requested his involvement in nuclear arms talks.
The Bush Administration asked Richardson to fly to North Korea for talks in 2005 and 2006.
But Richardson’s lack of involvement in such talks since Obama took office had led to speculation that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or even North Korea had sidelined Richardson from his diplomatic role.
Clinton did not choose Richardson as the Obama Administration’s envoy to North Korea. Last summer, former president Bill Clinton, rather than Richardson, was sent to secure the release of two American journalists held by North Korean authorities after crossing the border from China.
Obama reportedly now wants to move beyond the episode and kick start new talks on halting the North Korean nuclear program.
Last year, Richardson hosted North Korean diplomats in Santa Fe, ostensibly to discuss renewable energy.
Richardson has a master’s degree in International Affairs from Tufts University.
Richardson last visited Pyongyang in 2007 to return home to the U.S. the remains of American soldiers killed in the Korean War.
Richardon’s Deputy Chief of Staff Gilbert Gallegos refused to comment for this story Monday morning.
