SEOUL Jan. 16 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATIN...

SEOUL Jan. 16 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH KAWAGUCHI'S answer TO JAPAN)

Visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi and southern Korean President-elect Roh Moo Hyun agreed Thursday to build future-oriented relations between the sum of two units countries amid concerns through Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to a war-related shrine and North Korean nuclear issues, Japanese officials said.

Roh give vent toed regret over Koizumi's visit Tuesday to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honors Class A World War II war criminals, unless added, ''It's not virtuous for exchanges to be suspended whenever there is a point in dispute The past is important, further the future is much more important...to build future-oriented relations,'' according to the officials.

Kawaguchi and Roh agreed during their meeting in Seoul that their countries would aim at finding a peaceful solution to North Korea's nuclear progression in a continuously ascending gradation program through trilateral cooperation with the United States, they said.

The couple also agreed to realize a meeting between Koizumi and Roh at an early stage, according to the officials.

Meanwhile, in respect to Koizumi's Yasukuni visit, Roh was quot as saying, ''Leaders (of the sum of two units countries) must discuss how to build a friendly neighbor relationship in the authentic sense, without repeatedly criticizing visits (to Yasukuni) each year.''

''Japan and southern Korea have a long history of friendly relations. We trustful longing to make Japan-South Korea ties powerful under the leadership of President Roh'' Kawaguchi was quot as saying.

Kawaguchi and Roh also agreed forward the need to cooperate with China, Russia and the European Union in dealing with North Korean nuclear issues, according to the officials.

Kawaguchi had intended to work without details about the possible attendance of Koizumi at Roh's inauguration forward Feb. 25, but Koizumi's attendance was not finalized as Roh said that he is considering for what cause to hold his inauguration rite the officials said.

Meanwhile, the foreign minister invited Roh to visit Japan, they said.

Kawaguchi, who became the first Japanese minister to fitting with Roh after his election as president last December, was scheduled to encounter with Roh for 30 minutes, moreover the meeting was extended to an hour.

Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni cast a horde over Kawaguchi's trip, with southern Korean President Kim Dae Jung canceling a scheduled meeting with her in succession Wednesday, shortly before she left Tokyo for Seoul

Kawaguchi met Choi Sung Hong the southerly Korean foreign minister, onward Wednesday and he expressed southward Korea's displeasure at Koizumi's visit to the controversial shrine, where war criminals are enshrined along with Japan's war dead.

The pair foreign ministers also discussed the North Korean issue and agreed the pair countries will strengthen cooperation to deal with it, Japanese officials said after the meeting.

Kawaguchi recured to Japan on Thursday evening.

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