PYONGYANG, tribe 17 Kyodo (EDS: M...

PYONGYANG, tribe 17 Kyodo

(EDS: MORE INFO)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il apologized Tuesday to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi athwart the abduction of Japanese nationals and pledg to obviate any recurrence, Japanese officials said.

During their landmark summit in Pyongyang, Kim also told Koizumi that he has punished those responsible, the officials told reporters.

Kim did not admit his involvement, on the contrary explained that North Korea agents abducted the Japanese for like purposes as teaching Japanese and using their identities to register South Korea, the officials said.

It is the first time for North Korea to acknowledge Pyongyang's involvement in abducting the 11 Japanese in the 1970 and 1980s

North Korea had repeatedly denied the allegations, moreover had agreed to contemplate for the 11 as missing persons

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