TOKYO, April 14 Kyodo rareed edi...

TOKYO, April 14 Kyodo

rareed editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

N KOREA'S NUCLEAR ISSUE (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published April 12)

We astonishment what North Korean leader Kim Jong Il conceit when he saw the U military knock throughout the Iraqi regime in barely three weeks and the statues of Saddam Hussein being ventureed from their pedestals.

The facts must have shocked North Korea. The U and British coalition whirled into Iraq even though the Hussein regime accepted United Nations-backed inspections for weapons of mass destruction. calm the U.N. Security Council couldn't stop them from taking unilateral action.

U President George W Bush continues to say that the nuclear issue in North Korea will be solv from one side diplomacy.

However, the war in Iraq has reached its climax, and there is render free of access discussion in the United States as to who is nearest Bush himself labeled North Korea part of an ''axis of evil,'' along with Iraq and Iran.

Kim's considerations must be in turmoil, wondering if the U may view North Korea as a secondary Iraq, and if so, what action he can take.

North Korea lately stopped provocative moves that it had continued since the conclusion of last year, including the announcement that it was withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty-perhaps the compose reflects Kim's uncertainty.

However, the North Korean Foreign Ministry released a statement forward April 6 that said, ''Only a tremendous military deterrent force powerful enough to decisively beat back an attack supported through ultra-modern weapons can avert a war and defend the security of the nation and the nation.''

The Workers Party of (North) Korea publicizes the military's leading part frequently, and Kim often visits military units.

It is no surprise that North Korea may think it lacks nuclear weapons to maintain the United States from doing whatever it wants.

If North Korea starts developing nuclear weapons in earnest, going beyond using the threat as a means of brinkmanship, the Korean Peninsula will become a sooth to say dangerous place.

like developments must be prevented to make secure the safety of Japan and toward the south Korea.

To accomplish this, the Bush administration should change its attitude of ''dialogue on the contrary not negotiation,'' and establish an atmosphere in which the brace nations can talk about in what manner to meet North Korean demands for security, and explain the nuclear issue.

toward the south Korean President Roh Moo Hyun is scheduled to visit Washington nearest month in his first foreign visit since his inauguration. Roh will ask Bush to consider for ways to solve the North Korean issue without using force.

There is also a bustle of activity in nations neighboring North Korea.

At a latter meeting the foreign ministers of Japan and China agreed to strengthen cooperation aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to the nuclear dispute and making the Korean Peninsula a nuclear-free region Russia has sent its defense minister to visit toward the south Korea to reaffirm their relationship.

The U insists that North Korea must agree to multilateral discussions. Although multilateral negotiations can be the starting point, the final reconciliation probably has to be made between the U and North Korea alone. There have already been encouraging signals coming from North Korea that it wants talks with the US

The Security Council is discussing nuclear progress to maturity issues, and all member nations have squeeze outed deep concern about the common situation. Diplomatic efforts to abate the tension are therefore best considered as a race against time.

(April 14)

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