N Korea demands Japanese apology

The talks got off to an uncertain start

North Korean officials have begun talks with Japanese negotiators in Tokyo on establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries following years of enmity.

Both sides began by restating long-held positions, which have obstructed progress until now.

We may have to talk about issues which will not sound nice to our ears

Jong Thae-hwa, head of the North Korean delegation

Pyongyang repeated its call for Japan to apologise and pay compensation for its harsh colonial occupation of the Korean peninsula.

"Japan has not settled its past. We need to remove this obstacle in order to establish friendly ties," Jong Thae-hwa, head of the North Korean delegation said.

For its part, Japan wants information about 10 Japanese citizens it believes have been kidnapped by North Korean agents.

Protesters demand the return of 'kidnapped' Japanese

North Korea has denied abducting anyone.

Tokyo also wants assurances from North Korea over its missile programme.

Pyongyang shocked the world by firing a missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean in August 1998.

Support

The South Korean President, Kim Dae-jung, has said that better ties between Japan and North Korea would help promote reconciliation on the Korean peninsula itself.

The two Korean leaders met for the first time in Pyongyang in June in a historic summit aimed at easing five decades of Cold War hostilities.

President Kim told Japan's Yomiuri newspaper he believed North Korea was quite keen to normalise relations with Japan.

He said he had told North Korean leader Kim Jong-il that friendly ties with Japan and the United States were important for national security and economic recovery.

Japanese foreign ministry officials welcomed the comments.

In the past, opposition from South Korea has itself been an obstacle to better relations.

Money

In the long-term, Japanese co-operation and money will be essential if the eventual reunification of Korea is to be a success.

But Japan is still being held back by domestic political concerns, particularly the demands for information about its missing citizens.

The talks in Tokyo, scheduled to last until Thursday, are the second round of negotiations begun in Pyongyang four months ago.

Previous discussions stalled seven years ago.