[USFK Forums] N. Korea to OK working groups on premise abduction resolved [Kyodo]

[C. Y. Lee]

Uploaded by C. Y. Lee on Monday, December 26, 2005

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Saturday December 24, 10:17 PM
N. Korea to OK working groups on premise abduction resolved: source

(Kyodo) _ North Korea told Japan on Saturday that it will accept Tokyo's proposal to set up three working groups to address outstanding bilateral issues on the condition that Japan accept the North's argument that the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by the North has been resolved, a source close to Japan-North Korea relations said.

North Korea's chief delegate Song Il Ho made the comment on the first day of the two-day bilateral talks in Beijing.

Japan has proposed that the two countries formally resume negotiations on normalizing ties, while handling two other issues -- North Korea's past abductions of Japanese nationals and the country's nuclear programs -- in parallel through separate working groups.