LEAD: S. Korea's Roh to visit Japan in Dec

0 Comments | Asian Political News, August 9, 2004

TOKYO, Aug. 4 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING BACKGROUND INFO)

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Wednesday that South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun will visit Japan in December, as part of efforts to deepen top-level exchanges between the two countries.

''President Roh will come to Japan in December,'' Koizumi said at the outset of a meeting with a group of senior South Korean lawmakers from the ruling Uri Party headed by Chun Jung Bae, chief of the party's caucus.

Koizumi invited Roh to go to a hot-spring area in Japan by the end of this year when they met on South Korea's Cheju Island last month in the hopes that frequent mutual visits by the countries' leaders will help boost overall bilateral ties.

The trip would be Roh's second visit to Japan since taking office in February 2003 following the first one in June of that year.

''But we have yet to decide where to meet,'' the premier said.

In July's talks, Koizumi and Roh discussed various issues, including to North Korea's nuclear ambitions, and agreed to boost talks so that Japan and South Korea can sign a free trade agreement in 2005.