Saturday, May 22, 2004

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Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited North Korea for a second time since his visit a year and eight months ago in September 2002 and held a meeting with Mr. Kim Jong-Il, the Chairman of the National Defense Committee of North Korea. Prime Minister Koizumi arrived at Pyongyang's Sunan Airport in a government plane and then proceeded to the Daedong Guest House, where the meeting with Chairman Kim was held. In the meeting, the two leaders reconfirmed the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration, which includes nuclear development and missile issues and agreed on having the authorities directly in charge discuss the issues toward the resumption of normalization talks. Further, the return to Japan of five family members of the abductees was decided and agreement was promptly made for a full-scale reinvestigation with the participation of Japan on those abductees whose whereabouts are unknown. With regard to the nuclear development and missile issues, Chairman Kim stated that the primary goal is the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and North Korea intends to make efforts toward a peaceful resolution through the Six-Party Talks and reconfirmed that North Korea will maintain a moratorium on missile launches. In addition to this, Prime Minister Koizumi announced his intention to provide food and pharmaceutical supplies to North Korea as a measure of humanitarian assistance through international organizations. At a press conference afterward, Prime Minister Koizumi said, "I strongly expect that my visit to North Korea will prove to be a turning point in the realization of normalization." Prime Minister Koizumi departed for Japan the same evening with the five family members of the abductees.

Link:

Press Conference by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi After the Japan-North Korea Meeting