Friday, June 13, 2008

North Korea agrees to reexamine abductions


Through a bilateral talks between DPRK and Japan in Beijing this week, they reached an agreement to reinvestigate DRPK's abduction cases of Japanese citizens in 1970s and 80s. Indeed, it was such a big stride between two countries since the summit talks between Kim and Koizmi in 2002. Evidently, it must be a big deal between DPRK and Japan. North Korea expected to gain economic benefits from this. As a response, Japan pledged to lift or ease some of economic sanctions against DPRK.

In Japan, the fate of eight still-missing Japanese who North Korea has acknowledged kidnapping has become a national obsession. It has been the biggest lingering obstacle to proceed mutual relaions. North Korea once sent cremated remains of dead abductees to Japan after the summit talk. But the DNA test results demonstrated that remains were not those of missing people, which infuriated Japanese public. Thus, this agreement seems to be another turning point to the relationship. While checking this news, I also hope to hear good news for family members who suffer from NK's abduction in South Korea sooner or later.
Check more about the story from this Washington Post news article. Click →here

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