South Korea criticizes Japan over official's visit to North Korea
Iran Press TV
Thu May 16, 2013 9:57AM GMT
South Korea has criticized Japan over a visit to North Korea by a senior Japanese official, saying the move has undermined the ‘united front required to deal’ with Pyongyang.
Isao Iijima, who is a top advisor to Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, arrived in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, on May 14. The purpose of his trip is unclear, especially in the light of the fact that Japan and North Korea have no diplomatic relations.
The trip surprised Washington and Seoul, which are closely allied to Tokyo. The three countries have been working on a coordinated North Korea policy.
Describing the coordination between the US and its two close allies as “important,” South Korea’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Tai-Young said on Thursday, “In that sense, we think that the visit by Iijima to North Korea is unhelpful.”
Glyn Davies, the US State Department’s special representative for North Korea, also told journalists in the South Korean capital that he had not been aware of the journey.
“I had not heard that. So that will obviously be something that I will discuss with the Japanese when I have a chance to talk to my counterparts there in a couple of days,” said Davies, who is due in Japan later in the week.
MR/HSN/HJL
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