Japan, North Korea Held Secret Talks in Vietnam in July Without Informing US - Reports
Senior officials from Japan and North Korea held secret negotiations in Vietnam in July without the United States' knowledge, US media reported, citing informed sources.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th August, 2018) Senior officials from Japan and North Korea held secret negotiations in Vietnam in July without the United States' knowledge, US media reported, citing informed sources.
The meeting was attended by top Japanese intelligence official Shigeru Kitamura and senior North Korean official in charge of Korean reunification Kim Song Hye, The Washington Post newspaper said Tuesday.
Senior US officials have reportedly expressed their discontent over not being informed about the talks.
The Japanese officials told The Washington Post that the meeting occurred because Tokyo could not only rely on the United States in the matter of returning Japanese abductees from North Korea.
Later on Wednesday, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga refused to comment on the publication. Suga only said that Tokyo was doing everything possible to find a comprehensive solution of pressing issue in relations with Pyongyang, including the abductions of Japanese nationals and denuclearization issues.
In June, Suga said that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was still committed to personally discuss the fate of Japan's citizens, kidnapped by Pyongyang in the 1970s and 1980s, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The Japanese government officially confirmed 17 abduction cases of its nationals, while about 900 more disappeared under the circumstances that could potentially involve North Korea's actions. Pyongyang recognized 13 instances of kidnapping Japanese citizens, five of whom were returned to Japan and eight more died. It is believed that some of these Japanese citizens were abducted for the purpose of obtaining their identities, which were used by North Korean penetration agents in South Korea. Other abducted individuals allegedly taught the Japanese language to North Korean intelligence personnel.
The situation on the Korean Peninsula has significantly improved over the last months, with the North Korean leader having held several rounds of talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and a summit with US President Donald Trump in Singapore.