S.Korea confirms Seoul-Tokyo summit

The South Korean Presidential Office confirmed Wednesday that South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun is scheduled to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Seoul on Oct. 9.

"Prime Minister Abe will make a one-day visit to Seoul on Monday for a summit with President Roh at Cheong Wa Dae," Roh's spokesman Yoon Tae-young said.

"Roh and Abe will widely discuss ways to enhance South Korean- Japanese relations and how to settle the nuclear weapons problem ( of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK) peacefully, as well as other regional and international issues. The talks are expected to contribute to restoring mutual confidence," Yoon said.

Roh has boycotted summit with Japanese former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi since last November due to Koizumi's repeated visit to the war shrine of Yasukuni Shrine and bilateral dispute over history and territory.

On last Thursday, in a telephone with Roh, Abe expressed his will to improve the ties between the two neighbors and reached an agreement with Roh to hold a summit in near future.

Source: Xinhua