Korea, Japan to Resume Exchanges

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Korea, Japan to Resume Exchanges

The Monday summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi "laid the ground for resolution, if not for a perfect solution, to the three looming problems" of Korean-Japanese relations, President Kim Dae-jung said Tuesday.

He identified the problems as a controversial history textbook, Mr. Koizumi's paying homage at Yasukuni Shrine and fishing rights.

In a cabinet meeting at the Blue House the president said, "A point of focus and an impetus for resolution have been laid, so we should reap success in future talks with Japan."

Seoul will reportedly resume exchanges that were broken off on July 12 in retaliation for Tokyo's approval of a history textbook that Korea believes distort the history of the two countries.

Government ministries will convene Thursday to discuss resuming exchanges. Reportedly, the South Korean government will primarily proceed with exchanges of visits by foreign ministers and cabinet members, and with the fourth phased opening since 1998 of Korea's market to Japanese popular cultural goods. Officials are reportedly working for a meeting between South Korean Foreign Minister Han Seung-soo and his Japanese counterpart, Makiko Tanaka, in November.

Mr. Kim and Mr. Koizumi will meet again Saturday at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Meeting in Shanghai.

"The primary agenda in Shanghai will be the agreed 'joint history research council' and the saury fishing," a high-ranking South Korean government official said Tuesday. The two leaders agreed in Seoul to form a council comprising government and civilian experts from both countries, and to hold a high-level dialogue on South Korea's saury fishing rights in the waters off the southern Kuril Islands.

Aware of criticism that Mr. Koizumi's expressions of apology fell short of expectations, Mr. Kim, stressed that the setting up of the proposed council "rests on the premise that we will correct the textbook." He added that the Japanese prime minister had responded positively to other cooperation issues.



by Kim Jin-kook

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