Closer to home, China has made efforts to reduce tensions in Asia, hosting the Six-Party Talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

Since then there has been a stalemate over Six-Party Talks.

The abduction issue has become very central to Japan's North Korea policy and Japan's participation in the Six-Party Talks.

He also serves as North Korea's deputy nuclear negotiator to the Six-Party Talks.

Whither the Six-Party Talks?

The Six-Party Talks, below, resulted.

He succeeded Ban Ki-moon and cooperated with world-wide leaders to drive forward the Six-Party Talks.

He further called upon the DPRK to refrain from further tests and to return to the Six-Party Talks.

He previously served as the U.S. Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks.

Nevertheless, there are some positive developments as well: on 16 February, the Six-Party Talks at Beijing gave rise to an agreement.