Obama writes North Korean leader

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President Obama has written a personal letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, which was delivered by the administration’s special envoy for North Korea during a visit last week in Pyongyang. The existence of the letter has been closely held, with the administration insisting to its partners in disarmament talks with North Korea that it not be publicly discussed. State Department and White House officials this week confirmed that envoy Stephen Bosworth brought a letter from Obama for Kim but declined to describe its contents.

‘We do not comment on private diplomatic correspondence,’ White House national security council spokesman Mike Hammer said.

The Obama administration has insisted that North Korea return to six-nation talks on its nuclear program, saying it will not lift sanctions or offer other benefits simply for North Korea to begin talking again. North Korea has not committed yet to return to the talks, but its propaganda organ, the Korean Central News Agency, has reported positively on Bosworth’s visit, which could reflect the impact of Obama’s personal missive.

-- Washington Post