SEOUL, April 6 (Foreign Ministry) -- Foreign Minister Chung When Cho today issued the following official statement:
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which was requested to intervene in a Japanese plan for mass expulsion of Korean residents in Japan, recently assured the Republic of Korea that it would make no decision under present circumstances.
This cautious and fair approach of the ICRC implied that the issue of the Korean residents is of a political nature.
From the beginning, this Government has been of the consistent opinion that the status or eventual disposition of Korean nationals residing in Japan could be settled only through bilateral negotiations between the Republic of Korea and Japan.
Unfortunately, it was Japan's announcement of the deportation undertaking that led to the suspension of such negotiations at the fourth Korea-Japan Conference,
This Government believes that it has now become necessary to create an atmosphere in which the two Government may be able to find a way out of their current impasse.
If Japan agrees with us, there is no reason why the Korean and Japanese delegations cannot meet together to discuss the direct causes of the political tension between the two countries.
Through sincere, mutual efforts at resumed conference discussions, we might be able to overcome the crisis now afflicting Korea-Japan relations. This would be especially the case if the problem of the legal status of the Korean residents in Japan were approached with complete sincerity.
The Republic of Korea believes that such a step would be not only in the interest of the two nations, but also would contribute to the unity of the Free Nations of the Far East,"