S. Korea, N. Korea to hold bilateral nuclear talks

South Korea's chief envoy to six-country talks on ending North Korea's nuclear program is moving to hold an informal meeting with his potential North Korean counterpart, possibly in an attempt to reopen the long-stalled talks, Yonhap news agency said Friday. The South''s chief negotiator Wi Sung-lac is proposing holding talks with Ri Yong-ho, a veteran North Korean diplomat who is widely expected to succeed Kim Kye-gwan as the North's top envoy to the multilateral talks, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) here, according to the South Korean news agency. North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun confirmed Friday that Pyongyang has appointed its new chief negotiator to six-country talks on ending the North''s nuclear program, in the first confirmation of a change in leadership for its nuclear negotiating team. Pak confirmed that Ri Yong-ho, the North''s vice foreign minister, would be its top envoy to the six-party talks.