Koizumi Opposes Early Korea Unification

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said, “I don’t think that early unification is desirable for Korea due to the huge economic gap between South and North Korea,” at a Japanese House of Councilors committee meeting on March 3. “Korean unification is the earnest wish of the South and the North,” he added.

His views on Korean unification were in response to New Komeito Party member Hiroshi Takano’s question, “How will closer communication between the two Koreas affect Japan?”

“I heard that ex-president Kim Dae-jung is going to visit the North. I will see how things develop, but no one can conclude that the inter-Korean summit talks will be held,” Koizumi said.

Won-Jae Park parkwj@donga.com