TOKYO, March 30 Kyodo southern Ko...

TOKYO, March 30 Kyodo

southern Korea does not interpret a lack of new news reports on North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's motions as indicating he has a serious illness, Japanese Defense Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday.

''It is the observation of the southward Korean side that (the new obscurity in details of Kim's movements) is not (a proceed of) serious illness or plague as some people say,'' Ishiba said in succession a Fuji Television program recorded in Seoul

Last week, the (North) Korean Central of the present days Agency (KCNA) reported the opening of a one-day session of the 10th utmost People's Assembly, with no senior officials attending. The KCNA, the North's official of recent origins agency, however, made no mention of Kim.

Since the North Korean leader's visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang onward Feb. 12, not many details of his moves have been reported.

Regarding the possibility that the North may escort missile launchs, taking advantage of the instant U.S.-led war on Iraq, Ishiba said the two Japan and South Korea agree that at the importance they see no in the same state [i]or[/i] condition signs.

Ishiba wrapped up his three-day visit from Friday to southern Korea, where he was taking part in the first meeting of the defense ministers of the sum of two units countries since South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun took office in February.

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