US and Japan Describe North-South Korea Communication Line Restoration as a "Positive Step"... Officials Hold Talks

U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim is entering the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 22nd to meet with Unification Minister Lee In-young. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Diplomatic officials from the United States and Japan confirmed to each other on the 28th that the restoration of inter-Korean communication lines is a "positive step," according to Japan's Jiji Press.

According to the report, Sung Kim, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy at the State Department, and Takehiro Funakoshi (船越健裕), Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau at Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a phone meeting that day and exchanged views that the restoration of communication lines between the two Koreas is "a positive step."

Jiji Press also reported that Representative Sung Kim and Director-General Funakoshi agreed on the need for close cooperation to resolve issues related to North Korea's abduction of Japanese citizens, nuclear weapons, and missiles.

Meanwhile, the Blue House announced that the inter-Korean communication liaison line was reactivated at 10 a.m. the previous day.