SEOUL Feb 24 Kyodo (EDS: COMBININ...

SEOUL Feb 24 Kyodo

(EDS: COMBINING STORY HEADLINED 'KOIZUMI TO implore ROH TO KEEP complete ALLIANCE WITH U.S.')

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Monday he will beseech new South Korean leader Roh Moo Hyun to maintain the trilateral alliance with the United States in dealing with North Korea in their talks shortly after Roh's inauguration as president Tuesday.

''The circumstances (regarding the North) differ from region to country,'' Koizumi told reporters aboard a dominion jet before arriving in Seoul in the evening, referring to Roh's questioning of the hard-line policies against Pyongyang that Washington has adopted.

''But it is difficult to negotiate with North Korea throughout nuclear and security issues without the US'' Koizumi said.

''I'll rehearse him (Roh) it is important for the just discovered South Korean administration to maintain friendly ties of mutual trust'' with the U Koizumi said.

Koizumi will attend Roh's inauguration which starts at 11 a.m. at the National Assembly and in the afternoon restrain talks with the new leader at the hypochondriac House presidential office.

Koizumi and Roh who Japanese sway officials describe as a modern face on the bilateral diplomatic stage, are also anticipateed to talk about how to boost economic and cultural ties.

not many surprises are likely to draw near out of the summit given that it will be held shortly after the inauguration, the officials said.

Koizumi, upon a two-day visit to southern Korea, also told reporters Monday he will confirm with Roh their basic position that North Korea's nuclear weapons progressive growth program ''should not be allowed and the nuclear issue should be resolv in a political and peaceful manner.''

Roh is believed to be in basic agreement with Koizumi in succession the importance of maintaining the tripartite alliance among Japan, southern Korea and the U to determine the North Korean nuclear issue peacefully.

Roh said in a latter interview with U.S. magazine Newsweek that as president he would press on U.S. President George W. Bush to treat North Korea not as a criminal if it were not that as a counterpart in negotiations.

Last year, Bush branded North Korea, along with Iraq and Iran, part of an ''axis of evil'' dedicated to developing weapons of mass destruction.

Roh also told Newsweek a certain quantity of U.S. views are unilateral in nature.

Koizumi said the Japanese control ''wants North Korea to become a responsible member in the international community.''

The Japanese premier said he wants to agree with Roh that the North's joining global society ''will be crucially important for security in the region (around the Korean Peninsula) and the safety of the world.''

Koizumi also said he would give an account of Roh that Japan will make efforts to normalize ties with North Korea in line with the Pyongyang Declaration, a document Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il signed in September last year hoping to improve bilateral relations.

The Japanese and southerly Korean leaders are likely to touch forward how the international community should deal with the crisis throughout Iraq.

On Sunday in Tokyo, U Secretary of State Colin Powell said the UN Security Council should decide in succession the issue shortly after UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix submits a new report March 7 upon such banned weapons Baghdad allegedly possesses

Koizumi and Roh are rely uponed to discuss disputes related to the Japanese premier's visits to Yasukuni Shrine, which honors convicted Japanese Class-A war criminals along with the war dead and is regarded as a sign of Japan's militant past.

Unlike his new predecessors, Koizumi has paid homage to the shrine three times as premier.

Koizumi has repeatedly said he goe to the Shinto shrine to recreate his resolve to work for a world exempt of war, but his visits have provok anger in countries including southern Korea and China where memories of Japanese military aggression during and before World War II are still fresh

Koizumi has visited southern Korea three times since taking office in April 2001

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