The Korea Herald
2009.06.29

South Korea and Japan yesterday called on China to strictly enforce sanctions on Pyongyang and join proposed five-nation talks aimed at coordinating a response to its nuclear threat. President Lee Myung-bak and Prime Minister Taro Aso also agreed to speed up negotiations for a free trade agreement and enhance industrial cooperation between the two leading Asian economies.

Lee made a one-day visit to Tokyo as part of the two countries “shuttle diplomacy,” in which leaders of the two neighbors are supposed to make frequent exchange visits to discuss pending issues.

Tension stoked by North Korea’s second nuclear test on May 25 and a series of missile launches topped the agenda of their eighth meeting.

“We reaffirmed that we will never tolerate North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons,” Lee said during a joint news conference with Aso after the summit.

Lee said that through strict sanctions the international community needed to demonstrate to the communist regime that there was nothing to gain by saber-rattling.

“For the effectiveness of the U.N. Security Council resolutions, it is important for all U.N. members, including China, to implement them faithfully,” Aso said.

“We agreed to strengthen cooperation between Japan, South Korea and the United States, and agreed on the need to deepen cooperation with China,” he added.

The two leaders agreed to push for a meeting of the five members – excluding the North – of the six-party talks to discuss how to bring Pyongyang back to the dialogue table.

North Korea declared in April that it was rejecting the six-party talks after the United Nations condemned its launch of a long-range rocket.

Lee proposed the meeting of South Korea, the United States, Japan, China and Russia during his summit with U.S. President Barack Obama in mid-June.

All parties supported the meeting, except China, which last week indicated its reservations. Asked about its willingness to accept the offer last week, a Beijing spokesman called for resolution of the nuclear crisis through the six-party talks.

“There are suggestions that countries involved discuss effective measures under the six-party framework, but now is the time to concentrate our energy on enforcing U.N. resolutions,” Lee said.

“The ultimate aim of the sanctions is not to punish the North, but to persuade it to give up nuclear weapons and open up to the world,” he said.

China, the North’s only ally and its biggest trade partner and donor, holds the key to an effective pressure on and ultimate denuclearization of the reclusive country.

With its priority in Northeast Asia being to keep the status quo, Beijing has been cautious on taking coercive measures against Pyongyang.

The two leaders also promised to push ahead with negations for a bilateral free trade agreement, which has been stalled since 2004 largely due to differences over tariffs on agricultural goods.

A working-level talks will be held on July 1, Aso said.

They also appreciated the progress in industrial cooperation since their talks in January, when they agreed to promote joint ventures in parts and materials businesses

Lee asked Aso to encourage Japanese companies to increase investment in Korea, especially in industrial complexes exclusive for parts and materials manufacturing.

They also expressed expectations for enhanced cooperation between the two nations in nuclear energy, science and technology and the aerospace research and industry.

They also agreed to expand their contribution to U.S.-led rehabilitation and anti-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

To promote a “future-oriented, mature partnership,” they promised a series of exchange programs in education, travel and culture.

Meanwhile, Lee asked Japan to improve Korean residents’ legal status, including granting voting rights in local elections.

Nearly 500,000 ethnic Koreans live in Japan, with the majority descendants of forced laborers brought there during Japan’s colonial rule between 1910 and 1945.

Before the summit, Lee metwith representatives of Korean residents in Tokyo and pledged support for improving their living conditions.

“The government will continue to work to eliminate discrimination and the various inconveniences faced by Korean residents in Japan,” the president was quoted as saying during the meeting.

Lee also met with Japanese politicians and business leaders and awarded a medal to Nobutsugu Shimizu, vice chairman of the Korea-Japan Cooperation Council, for his contribution to improving Korea-Japan relations.