MONGOLIA: North Korea hints its readiness to talk to Japan on the issues concerning the return of Japanese women

Record ID: 466158

  • Title: MONGOLIA: North Korea hints its readiness to talk to Japan on the issues concerning the return of Japanese women
  • Date: 19th March 2012
  • Summary: ULAN BATOR, MONGOLIA (MARCH 17, 2012) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) SONG IL HO, NORTH KOREAN AMBASSADOR FOR NORMALISATION WITH JAPAN, ENTERING JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SONG IL HO, NORTH KOREAN AMBASSADOR FOR NORMALISATION WITH JAPAN, SAYING: "Regarding the subject of Japanese women who married North Korean men -- I do not say that the meeting with Nakai definitely means the solution of the issue." SONG AND JOURNALISTS BADGE OF KIM JONG-IL, FORMER NORTH KOREAN LEADER SONG AND JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SONG IL HO, NORTH KOREAN AMBASSADOR FOR NORMALISATION WITH JAPAN, SAYING: "North Korea and Japan have talked many times about the kidnapped Japanese citrizens issue, but the relationship between the two countries have been getting worse and the situation is the worst now." JOURNALISTS
  • Embargoed: 3rd April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mongolia, Mongolia
  • Country: Mongolia
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACDZNF27W9T8B4C980F0C5GP9
  • Story Text: North Korea's ambassador for bilateral normalization talks with Japan hinted on Saturday (March 17) that talks with the Japanese authorities, namely Japanese minister Hiroshi Nakai, regarding the return of the Japanese women who moved to the reclusive state with their North Korean husbands during a so-called repatriation project that began in 1959, could take place but they would not necessarily guarantee a solution.
    "Regarding the subject of Japanese women who married North Korean men -- I do not say that the meeting with Nakai definitely means the solution of the issue," said Song Il Ho at a news conference in Ulan Bator after an earlier meeting with a Japanese university professor.
    According to South Korean Yonhap News agency about 1,800 Japanese women followed their North Korean husbands from Japan to the isolated country from 1959 to 1984. During this period, about 93,000 North Koreans living in Japan had left Japan to live in the communist state.
    Another issue of concern for Japan is the abduction of the Japanese by North Korean agents during the 1970s and 80s. Japanese nationals were reportedly taken to North Korea to teach their language and customs to spies.
    Tokyo claims that 17 of its citizens were abducted at the height of the cold war as the communist state attempted to nurture a generation of agents that could operate inside Japan without attracting suspicion.
    In 2002 North Korea admitted abducting 13 Japanese citizens and allowed five to return home later that same year. It said the eight others had died.
    The remaining four on Japan's list had never entered the country, said Pyongyang.
    Pyongyang considers the issue to be fully resolved.
    "North Korea and Japan have talks many times about the kidnapped Japanese citrizens issue, but the relationship between the two countries have been getting worse and the situation is the worst now," Song Il Ho told journalists.
    Five of the abductees were allowed to return to Japan in October 2002 after a landmark summit in Pyongyang between the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, and the then Japanese prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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