Gradual Removal of Retaliatory Measures against Japan

It was known on Oct. 16 that the government concluded that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi`s visit to Korea on Oct. 15 had initiated the normalization of Korea-Japan relation and decided to remove gradually retaliatory measures, which had been taken to pretest the distortion of Japanese history textbooks.

A government official said, ``A system that will check up the progress of following measures of the summit meeting is to be formed within the government, and the retaliatory measures against Japan will be regulated according to it.``

Above all, the government decided to fully recover talks between the two nations for successful hosting of 2002 World Cup, and planned to hold `the 9th Executive Talk for Korea-Japan Cultural Exchange` as soon as possible and Korea-Japan consular chief talk next month.

In addition, Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Han Seung-Soo and Japanese Foreign Minister Tanaka Makiko will exchange visits this year, and Korea-Japan cabinet members annual meeting, which has been postponed indefinitely, is reconsidered seriously.

Along with this, with regard to the dispute over saury fishing in the waters off the Southern Kuril Islands the government has set about a negotiation with Japan to operate from as early as next week `Korea-Japan Foreign Affairs-Fisheries Top Official`s Council` represented by a person of the vice or the assistant minister class of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. With regard to the emergence of the two countries` joint-research institute of history, the government has planned to negotiate with Japan to allow this institute to have binding force in the process of producing textbooks.

Besides, the government is planning to enter into an active negotiation to make possible △ the exemption of Koreans from entry visa to Japan △ the establishment of air shuttle service between Seoul and Haneda △ the conclusion of Korea-Japan Business Investment and Trade agreement within this year.

The government is going to hold a plenary session on the distorted history textbook on Oct. 18 and discuss further measures and directions.

Boo Hyung-Kwon bookum90@donga.com