hankyoreh

TOKYO - Though North Korea and Japan remained far apart over the abduction issue in the two-days of working-level talks on normalizing ties between the two countries, which finished on Sept. 6, there was some certain progress. In a press conference after the meeting, Kim Chol-ho, the North’s envoy to the talks, said it might be possible for North Korea to accept Japan’s demands on the kidnappings.

Referring to Japan’s demand to repatriate the hijackers of Japan Airlines Flight 351, commonly known as Yodo-go, Kim said, “It’s a matter between the Japanese government and Yodo-go officials. We are willing to provide a site for the discussion.” Kim’s remark hinted that North Korea will allow the Japanese government to meet the Yodo-go hijackers in the North Korean territory.

North Korea’s gesture toward Japan could also be seen as its attempt to come one step closer toward persuading the United States to drop Pyongyang from its list of state sponsors of terrorism at an earlier date than originally anticipated.

On Sept. 3, North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that the United States had decided to drop North Korea from the list, but the United States later denied the report, instead emphasizing that they would only consider taking North Korea off the list in conjunction with further efforts the North to disable and declare its nuclear programs. Diplomatic sources in Tokyo said that it was certain that significant progress was made at the Sept. 1-2 talks on normalizing ties between North Korea and the United States.

In 1970, nine members of the terrorist Japanese Communist League-Red Army Faction hijacked Japan Airlines Flight 351 en route to Pyongyang. Since then, the hijackers have lived in North Korea in exile. The presence of the hijackers is one of major reasons that the United States has designated North Korea as one of countries sponsoring terrorism.

An official of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, said, “While North Korea accepts the exile of the kidnappers, the North does not support terrorism-inspired revolutions. North Korea’s basic position is that, if they want to return home, the North will let them do it anytime.” The association, also known by its Korean name, Chongryeon, is known to have close ties with North Korea.

Sending the hijackers to Japan, however, is not a simple thing. So far, the Yodo-go hijackers have expressed their intentions of returning home on the condition of receiving lenient punishment. In response, the Japanese government has said it will not reduce their sentences. Japan’s Mainichi newspaper reported on Sept. 7 that the government will not reduce the sentences in the future either.

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