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On February 15, North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong, a deputy department director of the Worker’s Party of Korea, released a statement via the state-run Korean Central News Agency calling for closer relations with Japan. The statement suggested that if Japan “does not lay such a stumbling block as the already settled abduction issue in the future way for mending the bilateral relations,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida could visit North Korea. However, this indicates that North Korea considers the abduction issue already resolved.

The Japanese Government has indicated a desire to engage in talks to deal with issues including the abductions and North Korea’s nuclear weapon and missile programs through a summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Is it possible that North Korea will change its existing positions on these issues?

The FPCJ has invited Keio University Professor Atsuhito Isozaki, an expert on North Korean politics, to discuss the current situation of North Korea, its domestic politics, changes to its foreign policies, and impact on Japan.

The briefing was attended by journalists from Brazil, China, France, German, Korea, Russia, Singapore and US.

　Handout

■Date： March 18 (Mon), 2024, 11:00-12:30
■Theme： Examining the Situation in North Korea

■Briefer： Professor Atsuhito Isozaki, Keio University 

■Language：Japanese, with consecutive English interpretation

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