Park calls on North to co-operate with South, urges Japan to ‘properly recognise’ history

SEOUL – South Korea’s President, Park Geun-hye, has again called on North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programme, suggesting that the two Koreas start to co-operate on building infrastructure. “North Korea should leave behind habitual confrontation and division, give up its nuclear ambitions and open to the world," Park said in a speech to mark South Korea’s 69th Liberation Day on August 15.

"The two Koreas should start with feasible projects, take actions, combine their strengths and overcome their weaknesses," she said. ‘Separated families should be allowed to unite, give each other humanitarian support and help each other to ease their pain."

She also spoke of Korea-Japan relations, saying she hoped that next year would become “a starting point to walk toward a better future based on friendship”. “I expect Japanese political leaders to make wise resolutions," she said, calling for Japan to properly recognise history.

"We can neither hide historical truths nor deny them because our descendants will continue to search for the truth and there exist witnesses to history.Next year is the 50th anniversary of the re-establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. Both countries need to develop a forward-looking co-operative relationship,” she said (ATI).