Translation
OPENING ADDRESS BY CHIEF DELEGATE CHIN-O YU
It is a great pleasure for the Delegation of the Republic of Korea to the Korea-Japan Preliminary Talks to meet the distinguished Delegates of Japan again at this conference table to discuss ad settle the various outstanding issues between the Republic of Korea and Japan.
The Governments of the Republic of Korea and Japan have held four conferences during the last ten years to solve the issues which are legacies of the past history involving our two countries. Unfortunately, however, we have failed so far to reach an overall settlement of these issues. In the meantime, to our deep regret, the problem of Korean residents in Japan, far from being solved, has become more complicated on account of a new factor, the deportation of Korean residents to the north Korean communists.
The new Government of the Republic of Korea, which was inaugurated as a result of the April Revolution, set forth as one of its major policies the normalization of relations between Korea and Japan and expressed its intention to bring about a reasonable settlement of the issues that have hitherto hampered the normalization under the principles of equality and mutual respect.
The new Government of Japan responded to us by declaring on their part that they would seek a solution of the problems with sincerity and new approach. The fact that the agreement on the opening of this Talks was reached during the goodwill mission to Korea by His Excellency Foreign Minister Kosaka, must augur well for the future of out talks.
The Korean Delegation has come to this Talks with great expectation and hope for a new sincerity from Japan. I earnestly hope that the outstanding issues will be settled through sincere discussions and that the two countries may thus take their first steps toward a new relationship based on mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation.
Translation
OPENING ADDRESS BY CHIEF DELEGATE RENZO SAWADA
Excellencies and gentlemen,
Today, at the opening of the preliminary talks for the Japan-Korea Overall Talks, it gives me a great honour and pleasure to say a few words of welcome to the Delegation of the Republic of Korea on behalf of the Japanese Government.
There have existed, from ancient times, very close ties between Japan and Korea. Out two countries, separated only by a narrow strip of water, are destined to prosper together and contribute to the maintenance of international peace by marching forward hand in hand as the closest neighbours. We deeply regret that in the past the relations between the two countries and somewhat deviated from such natural states.
Fortunately, since the recent establishment of the new Government in the Republic of Korea, atmospheres for friendship and amity have been created between the two countries. I wish to reemphasize here that it was one expression of the earnest desire on the part of the Japanese Government for establishing permanent friendship between the two countries that it sent Minister for Foreign Affairs Kosaka to the Republic of Korea in the early part of September to convey personally the congratulations of the Japanese people for the establishment of your new Government.
Needless to say, there are a number of difficult problems pending between our countries. It is the task cast upon us to carry on these talks and bring about the settlement of these problems. Of course, I am really aware that this task is not an easy one, but I am finally convinced that there is no problem of which satisfactory settlement is impossible, if both sides make utmost efforts for the settlement, through heart-to-heart talks, with due respect for each other's position and with the spirit of mutual concession.
In this connection, I wish to pay my respect to the Korean Government for sending such a distinguished delegation as this, headed by Dr. Chin O, Yu, who has much experience in the Japan-Korea Talks and who is prominent and well-known for his immaculate character as well as for his outstanding knowledge and broad vision.
I wish to conclude by expressing my sincere hope that the talks which we are about to start today will smoothly proceed and the firm basis for friendly relations between our two countries will be established in the near future, so that out two countries may prosper together and work hand in hand for the maintenance of international peace.