U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Alexander Vershbow met with the leading presidential hopefuls from the Grand National Party on Monday. The envoy told Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye that Washington will not wait forever if North Korea continues to delay implementing a February denuclearization agreement over the stalled transfer of its assets from a Macau bank. Vershbow approvingly talked about the South Korean government’s decision to postpone rice aid to North Korea, saying he expects Seoul to join hands with the U.S. in tackling the North Korean nuclear problem.

The ambassador met the two rivals separately, starting with a 100-minute breakfast meeting with Lee at a hotel in Seoul. He then visited Park at her Yeouido office after lunch. The meetings with the two GNP frontrunners were scheduled at the request of the U.S. Embassy.

Vershbow expressed interest in the upcoming presidential election and wanted to know what the two presidential contenders have in mind. Park reportedly said engagement with North Korea should be based on reciprocal principles, while lavish aid has allowed the North to develop nuclear weapons. She stressed the importance of principles in trying to resolve the North Korean nuclear problem since “the world is watching” developments in the six-nation nuclear talks.

(englishnews@chosun.com )