AMBASSADOR KING'S JANUARY 15 MEETINGS ON ABDUCTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000160 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: AFTER KOREAN UNIFICATION TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KN KS JA SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR KING'S JANUARY 15 MEETINGS ON ABDUCTION ISSUE Classified By: DCM James P. Zumwalt per reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Ambassador Robert King stressed the importance of U.S. cooperation with Japan and South Korea to address human rights in North Korea and reiterated U.S. support for resolving the abduction issue in a January 15 meeting with Minister of State for the Abduction Issue Hiroshi Nakai. Nakai noted the past steps to pressure North Korea, including the freezing of DPRK assets had proved effective. Ambassador King and Nakai agreed on the importance of educating the North Korean population about conditions outside the DPRK. Nakai criticized China,s policy of repatriating North Korean refugees, adding that China placed a low priority on human rights issues. In a later meeting with members of the Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea (AFVKN),Ambassador King expressed his strong sympathy for the abductees and their families, saying that he would do all he could to help resolve the issue. Sakie Yokota, whose daughter Megumi was kidnapped by the DPRK in 1977, presented Ambassador King with English-language copies of her memoir "My Daughter was Kidnapped by North Korea." End Summary. Minister Nakai Meeting -------------- ¶2. (C) In his meeting with Minister of State for the Abduction Issue Nakai, Ambassador King stressed the importance of cooperating with both Japan and South Korea to address the DPRK,s ongoing human rights violations. Ambassador King assured Nakai of continued U.S. support for Japan,s efforts to resolve the abduction issue and expressed U.S. readiness to cooperate closely with Japan. Nakai echoed Ambassador King,s comments, adding that the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has been sending delegations to the United States to appeal to the American public and increase awareness regarding the DPRK human rights situation. Nakai said that Diet members recently formed an Asian Parliamentarian Group dedicated to addressing the North Korean abduction issue. ¶3. (C) Expressing his hope the U.S. and Japan can work together on new measures that would resolve the abduction issue, Nakai noted that economic sanctions, such as U.S. steps to freeze North Korean assets in the United States had proved effective in the past. Referring to the U.S. decision to remove the DPRK from the State Sponsors of Terrorism List, Nakai commented that it was unfortunate that the U.S. had "relaxed" its stance two years ago, adding that this decision had not been popular in Japan and had negatively colored sentiments towards the United States. ¶4. (C) Ambassador King stressed the need to educate North Koreans about the outside world to build pressure for political change and human rights. Nakai agreed, commenting that through imports from China, North Koreas did receive some information about the outside world. ¶5. (C) Nakai expressed concerns regarding reports of Chinese authorities arresting North Korean refugees seeking asylum in China. In addition, Nakai said China places a low priority on human rights and only superficially listens to Japan,s concerns. Ambassador King said the U.S. will continue to urge China to play an active role in the Six Party Talks in hopes of drawing North Korea back into negotiations and hoped that Japan would play an active role in working with China as well. Nakai agreed and said he would communicate the Ambassador,s message directly to both Prime Minister Hatoyama and Foreign Minister Okada. Abductees, Families Meeting -------------- ¶6. (U) In his meeting with Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea (AFVKN) Chairman Shigeo Iizuka, as well as Shigeru and Sakie Yokota, Ambassador King underscored the U.S. commitment to working with Japan to resolve the abduction issue and stressed that he personally would do all he could to assist. He said the U.S. has repeatedly urged the DPRK to resolve the abductees, cases and that U.S. officials would continue to do so. As the U.S. and its partners work to restart the Six Party Talks, the abductions issue will be a high priority, he said. ¶7. (U) AFVKN Chair Iizuka stressed the need to resolve the abductions issue soon as many victims, family members were getting older. Shigeru and Sakie Yokota reiterated this point and recounted their story regarding the kidnapping of their then-13 year daughter Megumi in 1977. Shigeru Yokota said that DNA testing on bone fragments included with cremated remains returned by North Korea after 2002 had indicated that the bones had not been Megumi,s. Mr. Yokota hoped that the new Japanese government would urge the DPRK to implement its August 2008 agreement with the DPRK to re-investigate the abduction cases. Mrs. Yokota expressed her hope that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il would come to understand the suffering of the abductees, families and return the abductees to Japan. ¶8. (U) Ambassador King expressed his strong personal sympathy with the families, grief and uncertainty. He noted the blue ribbon pin on his lapel -- a symbol adopted by the abductees, families and identical to those worn by Iizuka and the Yokotas. He said that Japanese Ambassador to the United States Fujisaki had presented it to him upon his confirmation as Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights. Ambassador King said he would always wear it. Mrs. Yokota presented Ambassador King with English-language copies of her book, "My Daughter was Kidnapped by North Korea." ¶9. (U) Ambassador King cleared this cable. ROOS