Roh to Visit Japan on June 6
2003-05-23
President Roh Moo-hyun will travel to Japan on June 6 for a four-day visit including talks with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on North Korea's nuclear program and other bilateral issues, presidential spokesman Yoon Tae-Young said on Friday (May 23).
Roh, along with first lady Kwon Yang-sook, is scheduled to meet with Japanese Emperor Akihito and attend a banquet to be hosted by Empress Akihito Michiko on June 6, which is Memorial Day here.
Roh will hold summit talks with Koizumi June 7 on a variety of topics including the North Korean nuclear issue and enhancing relations between Seoul and Tokyo.
The two leaders will discuss ways to enhance the relationship between the two Asian neighbors based on a clear understanding of their past, Yoon said.
Roh will appear on a local TV program June 8 to address the Japanese public about building a future-oriented relationship between the two countries. He will deliver a speech to the Japanese Diet and meet with representatives of Japan's four major economic bodies the next day. He will also meet a number of Koreans living in Japan.
Ban Ki-moon, a senior presidential advisor on foreign policy, said the two countries planned Roh's appearance on Japanese TV to give the president “an opportunity to reveal his vision on future-oriented relations between the two countries.”
He also said Roh may raise the issue of Koizumi's controversial visits to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo during the summit talks. The shrine honors Japan's war dead, including war criminals.
Source : www.korea.net
