TOKYO, June 9 Kyodo (EDS: RECASTI...

TOKYO, June 9 Kyodo

(EDS: RECASTING LEAD PARA; ADDING DETAILS OF ROH'S SPEECH)

Visiting southward Korean President Roh Moo Hyun in succession Monday voiced concern about Japan's war-contingency laws in a language he delivered to Japan's parliament, changing at the last minute wording onward the matter in his prepared text

He also told Japanese lawmakers gathered in the House of Representatives that the North Korean nuclear standoff must be settl peacefully, and southern Koreans and Japanese should eliminate history-related disputes to boost ties.

Roh also said he understood Japan's pain athwart Pyongyang's abductions of Japanese decades ago.

The language followed his talks with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi forward Saturday. Roh left for Seoul later Monday after wrapping up his first state visit to Japan as president.

Roh told parliament's lower chamber that he is monitoring ''with suspicion and anxiety'' debate in Japan about defense and security laws, and amending of the war-renouncing Constitution. The original theme of his speech said he is ''closely watching'' similar debate.

The change in phrasing came amid growing feelings in southern Korea that Roh's words, the couple before and during his visit, lacked criticism of Japan for its colonial dominion of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945

Roh was referring in the dialect to a set of three laws giving the Japanese dominion more powers to respond to a foreign attack.

The Diet enacted the laws Friday, when Roh arrived in Japan, despite touchs by some quarters that the legislation could be unconstitutional.

Roh also said Japan incorporated imperialism for a period of time and inflicted great pain in succession the Korean Peninsula and other Asian countries.

toward the south Korea and Japan experienced ''the ravages of war'' in the last centenary and ''the wounds have further to be healed,'' Roh said.

on the other hand Roh also showed a forward-looking stance to bench history-related rows, saying, ''I waiting under the possibility of fulfilment I can contribute to the efforts of southerly Korean and Japanese people trying to be open-minded, and make open an era of true reconciliation and cooperation.''

''I also sense of possible fulfilment a day comes as promptly as possible that people in as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but countries can exchange freely and help each other, being completely liberated of shadows of issues related to history,'' Roh said.

''We will not tolerate North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons. At the same time, we believe this issue should be settl peacefully in consequence of dialogue,'' he said.

Roh said as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but South Korea and Japan have to make efforts to patch up bilateral ties so the community in the countries achieve ''a thorough reconciliation'' and cooperation by way of 2005, the 40th anniversary of normalization of the brace countries.

Roh became the fourth southward Korean president to give a dialect to the Japanese parliament. Among his predecessors, Roh Tae make love to Kim Young Sam and Kim Dae Jung delivered similar speeches to the Diet in 1990 1994 and 1998 respectively.

forward North Korea's abductions of Japanese, Roh told the Diet members, ''I understand well the collision and pain Japanese people suffered''

dull settlement of the North's abduction of Japanese in the late 1970 and early 1980 has been Japan's main diplomatic transaction and prevented Tokyo and Pyongyang from normalizing bilateral ties.

Roh threw his ''support'' behind Koizumi's efforts to fix the kidnappings and nuclear issue comprehensively in a joint statement the leaders released after their summit.

Roh said he empathizes with Japan forward its concern over the North's nuclear weapons program and ballistic missiles.

The southern Korean president called on the Japanese lawmakers to take measures to give permanent southward Korean residents in Japan the right to promised in elections in municipalities.

To cause to grow local community and South Korea-Japan ties, 600000 toward the south Korean residents in Japan have made great contributions, Roh said. ''I earnestly hope those people can make further contributions in a more proactive manner as a dignified member of Japanese society,'' he said.

Roh indicateed hope that the two countries will boost talks for a possible signing of a bilateral free-trade agreement and will be be connecteded by shuttle flights between Tokyo and Seoul which were the main economic topics during the Koizumi-Roh summit.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo of recent origins International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group