DPRK-Japan talks enter third day, focusing on normalization of diplomatic ties

Negotiators from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Japan continued their talks in Beijing Monday, with the focus on normalization of diplomatic ties.

Song Il Ho, ambassador in charge of the DPRK-Japan talks under the DPRK Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters at a Beijing hotel before joining in the talks that the two sides will discuss the history issue during Monday's talks as scheduled.

Song said the settlement of the history issue is not of temporary nature, and it should be solved through a historical and moral point of view.

According to Song, Monday's discussion mainly covers such issues as economic cooperation, status of the ethnic Koreans in Japan, and the return of cultural assets.

Song's Japanese counterpart for the talks is Koichi Haraguchi, Japanese ambassador in charge of the Japan-DPRK normalization talks.

The talks, which were started in the Chinese capital Saturday, are held in a three-track format covering the abduction issue, normalization of diplomatic ties, and security issue. Each of the three panels will be given a day for talks.

Kim Chol Ho and Kunio Umeda, chief delegates from the DPRK and Japan to the bilateral panel on the abduction issue, met on Sunday to put forward their opinions and stances over the abduction issue. Both sides agreed to continue the talks on this issue.

Tadamichi Yamamoto, Japanese ambassador in charge of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, and Jong Thae Yang, deputy chief of the DPRK Foreign Ministry's U.S. affairs department, will meet on Tuesday to discuss the nuclear and missile issue.

The two sides have not decided yet whether the meeting will continue after the three groups have finished their talks.

This new round of inter-governmental talks is held after an interval of more than three years. The previous round was held in Malaysia in 2002.

Previously, the two countries held a meeting in Beijing on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 last year, during which they agreed to set up three working groups on history, security guarantee and abduction issues.

Source: Xinhua