Japanese Reporters Invited to N. Korea

It was confirmed on Monday that North Korea invited journalists from several major Japanese press, including Asahi, Yomiuri, NHK and the Kyodo News, to visit Pyongyang from Tuesday to Saturday.

A member of Asahi Shimbun said on Monday, “Pyongyang recently invited Japanese journalists through the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan” and added, “North Korea announced it was a ‘friendly’ invitation, but it seems that the regime intends to explain the issue of Megumi Yokota, a Japanese abductee and ex-wife of Kim Young-nam, a Korean man also kidnapped by North Korea.” The Japanese journalists plan to fly on Tuesday to Pyongyang via Beijing.

Myoung-Gun Lee gun43@donga.com