By Lee Min-hyung
Japan held a secret talk with North Korea without notifications to the United States to discuss the repatriation of Japanese people abducted by the regime, according to reports, Wednesday.
The meeting was between Shigeru Kitamura, head of Japan's Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, and North Korea's Kim Song-hye who is in charge of unification issues, the Washington Post reported.
Washington reportedly expressed regret over the secret meeting, as the country has kept Japan up to date on its ongoing dialogue with the North. The U.S. is known to have viewed the meeting as an act of distrust.
South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not make any official statement on the issue, saying that it was not in a position to comment on reports related to other countries.
"We have no official comment over the overseas report, as it is not about the South and has little to do with our diplomatic activities," a ministry spokesman said without giving any details.
The reported meeting between Tokyo and Pyongyang in Vietnam was part of the former's efforts to bring back Japanese abductees in the North. Fourteen Japanese nationals were abducted by the North, and only five of them are still alive, according to the regime.
The repatriation of the abductees has topped the list of the country's diplomatic goals related to the North.
Tokyo believed the historic June 12 summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would pave the way for smooth progress on resolving the issue.
But with Washington and Pyongyang failing to make progress in their denuclearization talks after the summit, Tokyo reportedly decided not to stand still and contacted the regime for the speedy handling of the issue.
Japan has in recent months requested the South to make more efforts as a mediator to resolve the repatriation issue.
"We are well aware of the significance of humanitarian issues regarding North Korea, and the issue of the Japanese abductees is also included in the same category," Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said this April in a meeting with her Japanese counterpart Kono Taro.
She also expressed her willingness to continue doing her best to resolve all humanitarian issues by utilizing the rare peace momentum between the two Koreas.
The government has yet to unveil details on what President Moon will discuss during his upcoming summit with the regime's young leader next month.
But given the continuous calls from Japan, President Moon is expected to deliver the request from Tokyo to Pyongyang during the meeting.
