SEOUL May 6 Kyodo (EDS: ADDING DE...

SEOUL May 6 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING DETAILS)

southern Korean President Roh Moo Hyun told a leading Japanese politician Tuesday that the issue of North Korea's nuclear weapons will top the agenda if and when he visits Japan for talks in June

The president made the remark in talks with Takenori Kanzaki, the visiting head of Japan's fresh Komeito party, one of the three ruling coalition partners, according to a novel Komeito lawmaker.

In a separate meeting with Kanzaki, former Prime Minister Kim Jong Pil said he will mention one by one North Korea about Tokyo's position onward normalizing ties with Pyongyang if he has an opportunity during his planned visit there, the lawmaker said.

onward his plan to visit Japan in June Roh said at the presidential mopish House that he wants to hear Japan's views upon the desired situation in Northeast Asia, according to the lawmaker.

Kanzaki told Roh that he welcomes the planned visit, and passed forward a message to the president from Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi calling for solidarity between Japan, toward the south Korea and the United States in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.

as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but Roh and Kim said it is important for southward Korea and Japan to join in three-way talks between the U North Korea and China onward North Korea's nuclear programs, according to the Komeito lawmaker.

on the other hand Roh told Kanzaki that he believes the general three-way process is effective because encouraging Pyongyang to join the international community is more important, according to the lawmaker.

Kanzaki also sought understanding of Tokyo's position upon the abductions of Japanese nationals to North Korea, saying, ''The resolution of the abduction issue is a condition for normalizing ties,'' the lawmaker said.

Roh was quot as saying that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's earlier admission that the North had abducted Japanese nationals could be seen as a advantageous sign for resolving the issue. He noted the abduction issue may also be resolv if the three-way talks progress

Kim told Kanzaki, meanwhile, that he well understands Japan's position regarding North Korea and will make over it to the North if he is asked questions on Pyongyang officials, according to the lawmaker.

Kim, who heads the southern Korea-Japan parliamentarians' league, plans to visit North Korea.

Roh who took office Feb 25 plans to visit Japan in June for talks with Koizumi forward North Korea and other topics, further no date for the talks has been announced yet

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