S. Korea, IAEA to hold talks over N.K. nuclear program, safeguard cooperation

SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will hold regular high-level policy talks in Seoul this week over North Korea's nuclear program and cooperation in nuclear safeguards, the foreign ministry said Monday.

Ham Sang-wook, deputy foreign minister for multilateral and global affairs, is scheduled to meet Massimo Aparo, the head of the IAEA department of safeguards, for their ninth round of the meeting Tuesday, the ministry said in a release.

This year's talks will include discussions on joint efforts to strengthen readiness for verifying North Korea's nuclear program and on issues related to the agency's safeguards against misuse of nuclear energy for military purposes, as well as cooperation in administering the safeguards.

Seoul and the IAEA have held the high-level talks since 2013 as part of efforts to promote bilateral strategic communication.

elly@yna.co.kr
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