Seoul, Tokyo discussing Aso's visit to S. Korea: presidential office

SEOUL, Dec. 23 (Yonhap) -- The governments of South Korea and Japan are discussing the timing of Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso's visit to Seoul in early 2009, the office of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said Tuesday.

"The Japanese government has officially proposed opening discussions on the
timing of Aso's visit to South Korea," presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan told
reporters in his daily media briefing.
"Aso delivered his intention to visit South Korea from January 10th through 12th,
taking advantage of Japan's three-day holiday. A detailed schedule is now under
discussion," said the spokesman.
Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, citing Japanese government sources, reported on Monday
that Seoul and Tokyo were discussing Aso's plan to make a three-day visit to
South Korea starting on Jan. 10.
At their latest bilateral summit in Fukuoka, Japan, on Dec. 13, Lee invited Aso
to visit Seoul as soon as possible in accordance with their earlier agreement to
pursue a mature partnership and resume bilateral shuttle summit diplomacy, which
was suspended following renewed tension over territorial and historical claims.
During the Fukuoka summit, Lee and Aso agreed on reinforcing existing currency
swap deals concluded between their countries and accelerating a separate
agreement with Southeast Asian nations to create an US$80 billion joint fund by
next June to cushion the region against the current financial crisis.
Notably, Lee and Aso also agreed to launch a number of joint peace-building and
reconstruction projects in Afghanistan timed with the January inauguration of
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, who has repeatedly called for greater Asian
contributions to the war-torn country.
Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Lee denied some media reports alleging that
Washington has recently asked Seoul to re-dispatch South Korean troops to
Afghanistan.
"There have been no government-level request from the U.S. regarding troop
dispatch to Afghanistan. The issue of additional troop dispatch to Afghanistan
has to be comprehensively reviewed in consideration of international and internal
circumstances," said the spokesman.
But the spokesman, citing a bilateral agreement with Japan reached at the Fukuoka
summit, indicated that Seoul remains willing to play a role in Afghanistan's
peace-building and reconstruction projects.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)