North Korea Needs to Return Quickly to the Negotiation Table

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun on Friday joined a summit talk with his Japanese counterpart Junichiro Koizumi at the Hakusuikan Hotel in Ibusuki-City, Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan to urge North Korea to return to the negotiation table of the six-way talks.

“I fully understand that many in Japan have expressed their discontent of North Korea`s delivery of allegedly fake remains of the Japanese who were kidnapped to the North and asked the government to impose economic sanctions against North Korea,” he revealed at the meeting. “However, this issue should not negatively influence the six-party talks.”

Regarding Roh’s statement, the Japanese prime minister assured that sanctions against the North should be dealt with carefully and decided in accordance with North Korea’s reaction, describing Japan’s basic stance on the matter.

The two heads of state shared ideas about pending issues including pushing the Free Trade Agreement between the two nations, bringing reform in the United Nations, exempting Korean visitors from visas permanently when entering Japan, extending the number of airlines between Gimpo and Haneda, and opening the door to Japanese pop culture.

Jung-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com