Koizumi can get abductee kin: Pyongyang (N. Korea/Japan)

[Dover]

This is an interesting story...particularly given the recent events in N. Korea (train explosion). Why is Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi suddenly interested in this visit to N. Korea?
Is it for political advantage or is there something more going on?

Maybe a Japanese DUer or someone familiar with this story can shed some light.

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Koizumi can get abductee kin: Pyongyang

North Korea earlier this year told Japan through informal channels that it would allow the relatives of five repatriated Japanese to leave the country if Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi goes to Pyongyang to pick them up, government sources said Sunday.
The revelation comes on the heels of media reports that the prime minister is contemplating such a visit to break the impasse in the abduction issue.

According to the sources, the North Korean side made the suggestion on "several occasions" in March and April. They added they believe the move was triggered by Pyongyang's desire to improve bilateral ties and extract much-needed economic aid from Japan.

At the same time, North Korea said it would like to "strive to resolve problems between Japan and North Korea through a summit" between its leader Kim Jong Il and Koizumi, the sources said.

But Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Shinzo Abe expressed caution.

A visit by Koizumi to Pyongyang would signify "a very grave decision" by Japan regarding the abductions issue, Abe said on a TV Asahi talk show Sunday.

"It is necessary to cautiously study the idea of Koizumi going (to North Korea) under the circumstances in which our people have been taken hostage," Abe said.

Sources close to the two countries said Saturday that Tokyo brought up a Koizumi visit to Pyongyang at bilateral talks held in Beijing last Tuesday and Wednesday, and that the North Korean officials responded that they would take it back to their government for further consideration.......cont'd >

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20040510a1.htm

[Dover]

1. Still looking for someone with an inside scoop on this story.....

anyone?

[Tiberius]

2. there is no inside scoop

... when dealing with North Korea! But this is clearly an attempt from the Dear Leader to extract humanitarian aid.

The abudction stories are absolutely bizarre. One was about a newlywed couple, sitting on the beach, when North Koreans appeared out of the water and just simply grabbed them. They were forced to work as interpreters I believe.

http://www.asahi.com/english/politics/TKY200405100108.html