Summit Meeting to Strengthen Cooperation on NK Matters

President Kim Dae Jung and Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi met on March 20 and agreed to take a variety of measures to improve North Korea and Japan's relationship on the condition that North Korea demonstrates a progressive attitude on resolving its development of missiles and nuclear weapons.
Japan, especially, made it clear that it would first require a sincere and constructive dialogue with North Korea as a prerequisite for offering food aid or any other assistance.
The two leaders held interviews with reporters after they concluded their exclusive and extensive summit meeting. They announced that South Korea and Japan will establish stronger cooperative policies towards North Korea.
Obuchi said that he supports President Kim's comprehensive policy towards North Korea, and he added that Japan will reexamine measures it has taken, including the establishment of foreign relations with North Korea - suspended after North Korea's long-range missile launching in August 98 - if North Korea shows good faith.
President Kim stated, 'South Korea will be willing to support everything North Korea needs, if it abandons conducting arms testing and makes efforts to constuct peace on the Korean Peninsula.'
He added that he had explained to the Japanese prime minister of the tremendous importance of Japan and the U.S. actively cooperating to improve their relationships with North Korea.

Jangsoo Seo;jsbee@Joongang.co.kr