Abe Shows Eagerness to Improve Japan-N. Korea Ties

September 10, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe showed his eagerness on Monday to improve the stalemated relationship between Japan and North Korea.

"It's important to pursue the improvement of Japan-North Korea relations in parallel with improving U.S.-North Korea ties," Abe said in a meeting with Suh Hoon, head of South Korea's National Intelligence Service.

Suh visited Abe at the prime minister's office in Tokyo to explain about his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday as one of envoys sent by South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

"I hope the efforts made by North and South Korea will lead to Pyongyang's concrete action toward the implementation of an agreement with Washington" on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Abe said to Suh.

In explaining about Moon's position on the denuclearization, Suh said to Abe that the role the prime minister plays is very important and that Japan and South Korea should further deepen their communication and cooperation.

South Korea, the United States and Japan need to improve their respective relationships with North Korea, Suh said.

Moon's envoys agreed with Kim to hold an inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang for three days from Sept. 18. Kim told the envoys that he wants to denuclearize his country before U.S. President Donald Trump's current term ends in January 2021.

Chung Eui-yong, chief of the National Security Office, who led the latest South Korean delegation to Pyongyang, visited China on Saturday to brief the country's officials on the outcome of the trip. Jiji Press