SKorea's next president calls for Japan's active role in nuclear talks on NKorea

Feb 12,2008
AP

SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea's next president called on Japan on Monday to play an active role in the international talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons programs.

President-elect Lee Myung-bak made the comments to a group of visiting Japanese lawmakers, according to Lee's office. Lee did not elaborate.

North Korea last year promised to abandon its nuclear ambitions in return for the equivalent of 1 million tons of oil and political concessions under an aid-for-disarmament deal reached with the United States, South Korea, China, Russia and Japan.

In October, it pledged to disable its nuclear facilities and issue a declaration on its atomic programs by the end of 2007. The process stalled after North Korea said it provided the U.S. with a list in November, but the U.S. said it was incomplete.

Japan signed the disarmament deal but has since opted out of contributing, citing a lack of progress by North Korea in resolving the issue of abductions of its citizens by North Korea during the 1970s and '80s.

In 2002, North Korea admitted it kidnapped 13 Japanese nationals and allowed five to go home, claiming the other eight were dead. North Korea has since insisted the issue was resolved. Japan, however, believes some may still be alive and has demanded proof of their deaths.

Lee also renewed his stance that he would pursue a future-oriented relationship with Japan, which ruled the Korean peninsula 1910-45.

South Korea and Japan "should actively cooperate" with each other and demonstrate their cooperation by actions, Lee told Japanese lawmakers.

South Korea and Japan are key trade partners, but ties have often been frayed by Japanese leaders' repeated visits to a war shrine that critics say glorifies the country's wartime atrocities.

The two countries are also locked in a territorial dispute over a set of islets.

Lee has said he would not demand any apology from Japanese leaders for past colonial abuses. Lee is set to take office on Feb. 25.