Kenichiro Sasae

Chief North Korean delegate Kim Kye Gwan held a full meeting with his Japanese counterpart after earlier limiting their contacts to small talk in between multilateral negotiations on stopping Pyongyang's nuclear arms drive.

Kim Kye Gwan

Tokyo had been seeking a proper dialogue with North Korea on the kidnap issue since the six-way round table started July 26.

Chief Japanese delegate Kenichiro Sasae said Kim had promised to make an "accurate report" to his own government on Tokyo's demand that Pyongyang come clean on the abductions. "Unfortunately, there has been no progress," he said.

The Japan Times: Aug. 13, 2005
(C) All rights reserved