S. Korea, U.S. Plan U.N. Steps on N. Korean Sanctions : Diplomacy: Gradual approach is intended to ease Chinese resistance to a strong stand on inspection of north’s nuclear sites.

The United States and South Korea agreed Wednesday on a gradual, step-by-step strategy to overcome Chinese resistance to U.N. Security Council sanctions against North Korea over its suspected nuclear weapons program.

“I think it is unlikely the Chinese will veto the kind of resolution we are working on right now,” South Korean Foreign Minister Han Sung Joo said after a 50-minute meeting with Secretary of State Warren Christopher.

Later at the United Nations, in what many took as a sign that the strategy might be working, China proposed that the Security Council president issue a statement calling on North Korea to submit to inspections of its nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Such a statement would carry less weight than a formal resolution, but it would put the council--and China--on record. Under U.N. rules, presidential statements must have the unanimous support of the 15-member council.

Although the United States, Britain, France and Russia--the permanent members of the Security Council along with China--clearly would prefer a resolution, a senior U.S. official described the Chinese action as “a sign that on content they are moving in the same direction as we are.”

The official said Washington and its allies have not yet decided whether to go along with China’s proposal or to continue pushing for a resolution. But he said the proposed statement “says a lot of good things and has the Chinese on board.”

The dispute with the North Koreans escalated this year after Pyongyang refused to allow international inspections of nuclear facilities under the requirements of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The IAEA has been trying to determine whether North Korea is diverting plutonium that comes out of its nuclear power plants for use in nuclear bombs.

The United States hopes to persuade Beijing, a North Korean ally, to support mild Security Council criticism of Pyongyang, on the assumption that China would then be less likely to veto a stronger resolution later if North Korea spurns the council’s request.

The council may act as early as today on a statement or a resolution requiring North Korea to go along with the inspections. If, after a reasonable time, the North Koreans fail to comply, the council would consider economic sanctions.

Although Christopher has predicted that China would not block U.N. action against North Korea, Chinese officials repeatedly have opposed sanctions, calling instead for “dialogue” with Pyongyang.

Foreign Minister Han briefed Christopher in Washington after talks in Beijing between Chinese officials and South Korean President Kim Young Sam. Han went to the United Nations later Wednesday.

“The Chinese are on board in the sense of discussing the form and the content of the Security Council measure,” Han said. “We’re still talking. There’s no conclusion as to which way it would go. We are fairly certain about the content of either (a resolution or a statement) and that means there would be certain minimum requirements.”

Christopher said the United States and South Korean positions “are completely congruent.”

Wednesday evening in San Diego, where he is vacationing, President Clinton declined to speculate on the chances that the Security Council will adopt a resolution. “I’ll just say that we and the South Koreans are exploring with all the relevant parties what our options are,” he told reporters.

He was also cautious in predicting the Chinese response on the issue. “We’ll have to see where China comes down on it in the end,” he said.

State Department spokesman Mike McCurry conceded that the U.S. strategy could take time. But he said that a delay may be necessary to ensure Chinese acquiescence. “In a very deliberate, careful way, in a step-by-step way, (the Security Council) will begin to make clear the international community’s determination to successfully resolve the North Korean issue,” he said.

North Korea insists its nuclear facilities are for peaceful purposes. But Kim Il Sung’s regime has repeatedly blocked international inspections. McCurry said the IAEA must try to determine, based on information it has been able to gather, whether North Korea has an active nuclear weapons program. Such a finding, he said, would have “grave consequences.”

In recent weeks, North Korea’s formidable propaganda apparatus has threatened war if the West invokes sanctions. Officials in both Washington and Seoul have said the North Korean threats are a cause for concern but that the West should not change policy because of them.

Times staff writer Paul Richter in San Diego contributed to this report.