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Seoul, Tokyo in talks over N. Korean defector's April visit to Japan: report
TOKYO, March 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Japan are in talks over a plan to invite Hwang Jang-yop, a former high-ranking North Korean official who defected to South Korea in 1997, to Japan next month and speak at a Diet session, a Japanese newspaper reported Sunday.
The Japanese government is mulling the plan to ask Hwang, a former secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and close aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, to give information on the North's regime and attend a Diet session if the defector's visit to Japan materializes.
Japan has been keen to gather information on the abduction of Japanese nationals and others by the North decades ago.
The report came after Hiroshi Nakai, Japan's minister in charge of abuduction issues, visited South Korea in October last year to seek Seoul's cooperation in arranging for a visit to Japan by Hwang.
At the time, the South Korean government reportedly responded to the Japanese request by saying it will review the case after deferring to Hwang's wishes.
namsh@yna.co.kr
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