TOKYO, Dec 20 Kyodo exquisiteed ...

TOKYO, Dec 20 Kyodo

exquisiteed editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

ROH MUST FACE CHALLENGE OF NORTH (The Daily Yomiuri as translated from the Yomiuri Shimbun)

southern Korea's voters chose their modern president in a poll Thursday...Roh Moo Hyun of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party prevailed on a narrow margin over to leeward Hoi Chang, fielded by the opposition Grand National Party, in the presidential election...

As for the South's stance toward the North, the main point of contention in the presidential campaign, Roh pledg to stick to incumbent President Kim Dae Jung's ''sunshine policy'' of engagement. Although this policy goal has been backed by way of a majority of South Korea's voter Roh will face difficulty in dealing full with concerns over North Korea's possible proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

When Roh's administration is installed in February, its policy toward the North will have a major impact forward developments on the Korean Peninsula...

Kim Dae Jung's ''sunshine policy'' has displayed reconciliation and increased North-South interchanges to prod the North into transforming itself. The North Korean regime of Kim Jong Il, however, hold fasts clinging to its preference for things military...

If Roh insists that he definitely can rely onward dialogue to solve the moot point of the North's nuclear arms program, he must charm out a detailed approach...

It is vital for the just discovered South Korean president to clarify his policy vis-a-vis North Korea to nurse a close relationship with the (U President George W) Bush administration, which is increasingly skeptical of Kim Jong Il's leadership...

To implement an effective North Korea policy, Roh will be crowded to reshape the U.S.-South Korean alliance through reviewing the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement.

In a bilateral security meeting early this month the United States and toward the south Korea warned that North Korea would face the gravest consecutions if it used weapons of mass destruction. This week's meeting between the Japanese and U foreign ministers and defense chiefs also produc a similar warning in a joint statement. Whether Japan, the United States and southerly Korea now will be able to act jointly vis-a-vis North Korea in succession the basis such warnings is an issue of great be of importance to for Japan.

(Dec 20)

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