Upon his inauguration as the nation's 16th president, Roh Moo-hyun held his first summit talks with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Tuesday (Feb. 25) afternoon.
Roh and Koizumi exchanged views on issues of mutual concern, including lingering tension on the Korean peninsula due to North Korea’s bid to develop nuclear weapons.
Koizumi arrived here on Monday evening to attend the inaugural ceremony.
Roh will also meet senior officials from the United States, China and Russia who attended the ceremony, including U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell who arrived here on Monday evening. Seoul is the last stop in Powell’s tour of three nations, which also took him to Tokyo and Beijing.
James Kelly, assistant secretary of state for Northeast Asia and Pacific affairs, and State Department spokesman Richard Boucher are accompanying Powell.
Later in the day, Powell will pay a courtesy call on Roh at Cheong Wa Dae to discuss issues related to North Korea’s nuclear program and the envisioned rebalancing of the Korea-U.S. security alliance, including the realignment the U.S. forces stationed here.
Powell will also meet with Ra Jong-yil, Roh's advisor for national security, to coordinate policy on North Korea with the new government.
Powell's meetings with Roh and Ra are drawing special attention because they come at a time when South Korea and the United States are showing a "subtle" difference in their approach to the North Korean nuclear issue.
Roh will also receive courtesy calls from visiting Chinese Vice Prime Minister Qian Qichen, Russian Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov to discuss security and other issues. |