[USFK Forums] Japan, North Korea discuss abductions [AFP]

[C. Y. Lee]

Uploaded by C. Y. Lee on Monday, February 6, 2006

Japan, North Korea discuss abductions
Monday, February 6, 2006 05:38AM

BEIJING (AFP) - Japan and North Korea are holding talks on the Cold War abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korean spies, broaching one of the most thorny issues in diplomatic normalization talks.

On the second day of a fresh round of bilateral talks, a working group panel met to discuss the dispute, with the North Koreans pointing to a wide gulf between the two sides on the question.

"There is a big difference of opinion and stance on this issue," North Korean negotiator Kim Chol-Ho told journalists at the end of nearly 10 hours of talks Sunday. "This morning we listened to the opinions of the Japanese side regarding the abductions and in the afternoon we responded to them," Kim said. "We have both agreed to continue to talk on this issue."

The two sides will meet again on Monday morning, but will mainly focus on issues related to the normalization of ties and Japan's invasion of North Korea in the 1930s and 1940s.

During the meeting Japan demanded that Pyongyang return surviving Japanese nationals allegedly abducted by North Korean agents mostly during the 1970s and conduct thorough investigations into the kidnappings, Kunio Umeda, head of the Japanese delegation to the abduction panel, said.

Tokyo also wants Pyongyang to hand over North Korean spy Sin Guang-Su, who is believed to have orchestrated a series of kidnappings, so that he can stand trial in Japan.

"Japan conveyed to the other side in a specific manner its position regarding the return of its survivors, the pursuit of the truth, and the handover of suspects," Umeda told journalists.

"At the same time we repeated our position that the resolution of the abduction issue is very important to the normalization of diplomatic ties."

Umeda said that the next round of talks on the abduction issue would be agreed to through ongoing diplomatic consultations.

Kim linked the handover of suspected North Korean kidnappers to alleged "Japanese culprits" that North Korea would apparently like to prosecute.

"We also have some Japanese culprits involved in some crimes and we told the Japanese side about it and we will also talk about it," Kim said, without elaborating.

North Korea once declared the abduction issue settled after repatriating five kidnap victims following a landmark summit in 2002 between Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and reclusive leader Kim Jong-Il.

But Tokyo has insisted that at least eight Japanese are still alive in North Korea and are being kept hidden because they know too many secrets about the regime.

In the ongoing talks that could last up to five days, the two sides will also discuss how to proceed toward normalization of relations, while a third panel will discuss security issues, including North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, Japanese officials said.

Pyongyang was also expected to press Japan to settle the issue of damage caused by Japanese soldiers during World War II, they said.

The two sides agreed to hold the three-tiered talks after meetings in Beijing in November and December.

Japan is also involved in six-nation talks, together with host China, South Korea, the United States and Russia, aimed at convincing North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions in return for aid and energy assistance.

The talks are currently stalled, after Washington imposed economic sanctions on financial institutions linked to North Korea's alleged illegal activities. Pyongyang has accused the United States of planning for war.



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