Japan, S. Korea end regular 'strategic dialogue'

SEOUL, Sept. 7 Kyodo

Japan and South Korea ended a two-day regular ''Strategic Dialogue'' on Thursday in Seoul aimed at exchanging views on matters of mutual interest, including North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

''The two sides held a very useful exchange of opinions and agreed to hold the fourth 'strategic dialogue' at an early date,'' South Korea's Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry Spokesman Chu Kyu Ho said in a report by Yonhap News Agency.

Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi and South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Yu Myung Hwan headed their delegations for the third round of the Seoul-Tokyo talks.

The vice ministerial-level ''Strategic Dialogue'' between Seoul and Tokyo was first held in October, 2005 in Seoul and the second round was in March this year.

At the two-day talks, the two sides also discussed Japan's plan to conduct a survey on radioactive waste materials dumped by the former Soviet Union in the Sea of Japan.

''Working-level officials are to hold consultations on details (on Japan's survey on radioactive waste materials),'' Chu was quoted as saying.

Yonhap said Japan has notified South Korea of its plan to conduct the survey on radioactive waste materials in the Sea of Japan, including waters around Dokdo, South Korean-controlled islets, also claimed by Japan, this month.

''Japan has its position known that (the survey on radioactive waste materials) will be continued as it has been held annually and a specific date has not yet been notified (to South Korea),'' an unidentified South Korean official was quoted as saying.

Japan wants to conduct marine surveys, including the radioactive survey, after giving a prior notification to South Korea, but South Korea maintains Japan should get a prior approval to conduct the surveys in South Korea's exclusive economic zones.

South Korea and Japan remain at odds over the territorial row involving Dokdo, known as Takeshima in Japan.

Japan and South Korea became embroiled in the dispute in April when Japan's coast guard said it planned to conduct a marine survey in waters near the islets, drawing strong protest from South Korea.

The two sides subsequently averted a confrontation via a vice ministerial meeting in Seoul where they reached a compromise in which Japan agreed to withdraw its plan to conduct the survey.

At the just-ended ''Strategic Dialogue,'' the Japanese side explained to the South Korean side what additional sanctions are being considered on North Korea with regard to a United Nations Security Council resolution adopted in July, Yonhap said.

The U.N. Security Council members, including China and Russia, adopted a resolution condemning North Korea's test-firing of seven missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2 missile, on July 5 into the Sea of Japan, ignoring international calls not to do so.

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