NK, Japan hold first talks since 2008

12 years ago | Posted in: Latest Politics News | 667 Views

North Korea and Japan on Wednesday held their first talks in four years to discuss issues of mutual concern. The meeting was the first of its kind since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un took over the communist state after his father Kim Jong-il died last December.

During the meeting held at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing, the two sides differed over the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents, diplomatic sources in Beijing said.

North Korea remained in its position that the abduction issue had already been resolved, they said.

Before the meeting, the (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) criticized Japan for attempting to use the abduction issue for political purposes.

The two sides, on the other hand, have felt the need to improve relations. Some analysts expected Pyongyang to seek to normalize relations with Tokyo on a long-term perspective and get compensations for Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula between 1910 and 1945, in order to provide funds for economic growth.

North Korea, if relations are normalized, could receive compensations amounting to $10 billion from Japan, which would help the communist state to make a major breakthrough for its economy, the analysts said.

Amid widespread anti-Japan protests in South Korea, China and Russia over territorial disputes, Japan – isolated — needs to improve relations with North Korea, they said.

Some Japanese expressed concern that South Korea may turn its back to Japan, pointing out that Tokyo remains unchanged in its attitude toward the issue of “comfort women,” those who were forced to serve as sex slaves during World War II. Moreover, Japan has reiterated its claim to South Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo in the East Sea.

Tokyo has expected Seoul to play the go-between role of helping improve ties with Pyongyang, the analysts said.

A diplomatic source in Beijing described the North Korea-Japan talks as preparatory to set agenda items and date of plenary session.

 

 

ref: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr

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