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The Japanese and South Korean leaders on Saturday reiterated their stance for a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
In a joint statement issued after their talks earlier Saturday, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun said they will not allow the DPRK to possess nuclear weapons and carry out any nuclear program. But they stressed that the nuclear issue must be solved in a peaceful and diplomatic way.
The two leaders urged the DPRK not to escalate the issue and reconfirmed the principles reached in their separate meetings with US President George W. Bush in May, but no specific words were mentioned.
In those meetings, the leaders threatened "tougher measures" and "further steps" if the DPRK escalates the nuclear issue.
The statement also expressed strong desire of Japan and South Korea to take part in multilateral dialogue on the nuclear issue, which involves at present the DPRK, China and the United States.
On bilateral relations, both leaders said they will make efforts to start the negotiation on a free trade agreement as early as possible.
The statement said Japan will make further efforts to realize early exemption of visas for South Korean people visiting Japan.
(Xinhua News Agency June 7, 2003)
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