US Gov Richardson arrives in North Korea: KCNA

Seoul, Apr 8: US New Mexico Gov Bill Richardson, a Democrat running for president, and his delegation arrived in Pyongyang, North Korea's official KCNA news agency said today.

The White House said on April 3 Richardson would lead a US delegation to the North to oversee the return of remains of American troops from the Korean War at the invitation of Pyongyang.

Richardson, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, visited North Korea in the 1990s and in 2005.

The trip has the blessing of the US government, which is involved in negotiations to dismantle the North's nuclear weapons programme together with South Korea, Japan, Russia and China.

Richardson's trip is not part of the six-way talks, a US administration official has said. But he has requested a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, one of his advisers has told Voice of America.

REUTERS

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