Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and visiting South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun agreed Friday in Ibusuki to jointly advance bilateral exchanges and early resumption of the six-party talks.

The two leaders also discussed the abduction dispute between Japan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Japanese-South Korean history issue.

The two countries aim to conclude a free trade agreement by the end of next year and increase flights between Tokyo and Seoul,

Koizumi told a news conference following the two-hour talks in the small city in southern Kagoshima Prefecture.

Koizumi said both sides reaffirmed the need to continue cooperation with the United States for the early resumption of the stalled six-party talks on the nuclear issue in the Korean Peninsula.

He also said Roh had expressed his understanding toward Japan's stance in the abduction dispute with the DPRK.

Japan is claiming that the cremated remains of an abducted Japanese citizen returned by the DPRK are those of another person,and pressing for an explanation. The DPRK reportedly has rebutted Japan assertion.

The Japanese government responded strongly to the result, yet refrained from clearly threatening an economic sanction despite surging demand to do so from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party as well as the parliament.

Roh said he gives high marks to Koizumi's "careful" consideration of possible sanctions.

Japan and South Korea are working on a series of friendship events for next year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of normalization of diplomatic relationship.

Tokyo plans to consider whether to make the visa waivers permanent after seeing the outcome of the temporary step during the Aichi Expo 2005.

Despite the aim to ink a free trade agreement next year, friction in the fields like agriculture and automobile is in the way for an early conclusion. Japanese companies are afraid of a drain of advanced technology, while South Korea is concerned that such an agreement would accelerate the current trade deficit of about 18 billion US dollars with Japan.

South Korean movies and TV series also are hitting Japan, a cultural rush called "South Korea Torrent." Video selling and rental shops even set aside special shelves for South Korean drama products.

Among the big hits is the TV soap opera "Winter Love Song," which the Daiichi Life Research Institute estimated would bring about the economic effect of over 200 billion yen in Japan and South Korea.

About 187,000 Japanese traveled to South Korea from April to October to take a look at the shooting locations of the drama, according to the institute.

At the news conference, Koizumi said Japan will give positive consideration to boosting the number of flights between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Seoul's Kimpo airport from four to eight a day as the airline is very popular now.

He then said Japan expects visitors to each other's country to hit 5 million next year. Travelers from both sides are expected to exceed 4 million in 2004, up from the 3.6 million recorded for last year.

On the history issue, Roh said he will "watch for Japan to start debate to try to resolve the issues on its own." Japan formally started its colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula in 1905 and next year is the 60th anniversary of the rule's ending.

Roh is to leave Japan Saturday after attending a traditional Japanese tea ceremony with Koizumi.

Koizumi and Roh last met in July at South Korean resort island of Cheju. They have agreed to hold summit talks biannually.

Source: Xinhua