Japan, DPRK work towards talks on abduction issue
By (Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-02-26 14:39

Japan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are working toward realizing fresh round of bilateral talks in mid-March on mutual concerns, Kyodo News reported Thursday.

Officials on both sides are making efforts to finalize the arrangements in bilateral contacts on the sidelines of the ongoing second round six-party talks in Beijing over the nuclear issue of Korean Peninsula, Kyodo quoted Japanese sources as saying.

In Beijing, a Japanese diplomat confirmed Wednesday night that representatives of Japan and the DPRK discussed the abduction issue.

Japan is demanding the DPRK to send back family members of five abducted Japanese who have stayed in Japan since a home-visit in 2002. Tokyo also asks to investigate whereabouts of 10 other missing Japanese.

A high-level Japanese mission visited Pyongyang earlier this month. Although no substantial progress came off, the DPRK reportedly agreed to hold more talks.

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