UPIA-251
(SEOUL)
TOKYO) AUG. 3--(UPI)--MOON CHUL SOON, POLITICAL AFFAIRS COUNSELOR FOR THE OF KOREA MISSIONHERE CONFINED TODAY REPORTS THAT HIS GOVERNMENT HAS REPUSED JAPANPERMISSION TO ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN SEOUL.
BUT THE REFUSAL HAS EASED SOLELY ON PRACTICAL CONSIDEARATIONS MOON SAID, AND NOT ON JAPANS RECENT EXTENSION OF ITS REPARATION AGREEMENT WITH NORTH KOREA.
MOON, IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL, SAID THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JAPANESE MISSION IN SEOULWOULD BE IRREGULAR AND WOULD SERVE NO REAL PURPOSE.
HE SAID THERE WAS NO REASON TO PERNIT JAPAESE DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION IN SOUTH KOREAUNTIL NORKALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES WAS FlNALIZED. HE SAID THIS WOULD BE FOLLOWED BY AN EXCHANGE OF EMBASSIES AND NOT BY MISSIONS.
MOON SAID HIS GOVERNMENT'S FEELINGS ON THE MATTER WERE CONVEYED WEDNESDAY BY NEWLY-APPOINTED ROKMINISTER TO JAPAN LEE DONG HWANTO YUJIRO ISEKIOF THE JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER'S ASIA AFFAIR BUREAU.
(PICKUP EARLIER TK 17, 5TH PGH BEGINNING :THE MEETING WAS ATTENDED ETC.)
G/941A//TK28-32