Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Thursday that South Korea will soon begin negotiations with the United States on revisions to the two nations' bilateral nuclear energy pact.

Cho made the remarks on the radio program Kim Jong-bae's Focus during a discussion about the deal known as the 123 Agreement, which permits South Korea to reprocess spent fuel from nuclear reactors only with U.S. consent and allows the enrichment of uranium up to 20% U-235 contingent on a separate bilateral arrangement.

Cho said that South Korea had pressed for more enrichment and reprocessing flexibility, that the United States had accepted its request, and that negotiations would begin soon.

Regarding defense cost-sharing arrangements, Cho said Washington had not requested that Seoul increase its share.

When asked whether a trade agreement with the U.S. could be announced at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, he emphasized that there is no fixed deadline for reaching a deal.