Korea and Japan Fail to Reach Preliminary Agreement on Summit Agenda

President Roh Moo-hyun and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will hold a summit meeting at Sangchunjae, Cheong Wa Dae at 3:00 p.m. on June 20.

At the summit, the two leaders are expected to discuss the main issues between the two countries such as Prime Minister Koizumi’s visits to Yasukuni shrine, Japan’s understanding of past history, and North Korea’s nuclear program.

However, because the summit will be held without any prior consultation on an agenda on an administrative level between the two countries, it is expected that this summit will have darker prospects than previous ones.

Following the summit, the two leaders will have a working dinner at Sangchunjae for around one and half hours from 7:00 p.m. Prime Minister Koizumi will leave for Japan on the morning of June 21.

Jung-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com