JCP CC Chair Fuwa and South Korean Prof. Chi discuss Asian peace, Japan-ROK relations, and World Cup

Fuwa Tetsuzo, Japanese Communist Party Central Committee chair, on June 28 met with Chi Myong-Kwan, professor at Hallym University and KBS (Korean Broadcasting System) director general, and talked over lunch. Chi, who is also ROK-Japan Cultural Exchange Council chair, is now visiting Japan from South Korea to attend the closing ceremony of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. This was their second meeting after the one in November 2001.

Fuwa appreciated that the Japanese and South Korean teams in the World Cup games performed well. Chi said that he was pleased to learn that a new kind of nationalism has been emerging in South Korea through the integrated efforts of the players and supporters which also helped awaken solidarity in Asia.

Both exchanged views on the general situation in Asia, including ASEAN countries, and on how to establish peace in Asia, especially on the Korean Peninsula, as well as on the domestic situations in respective countries.

Fuwa noted the following points: the JCP in the past few years has increased its efforts for establishing relationships with some Asian governments; Japan's public actions against nuclear weapons have developed to the extent that foreign government representatives are now taking part in related conventions. The JCP will make more efforts to deepen relations with the governments of Asia and the Islamic countries, Fuwa added.

Chi mentioned that South Korea had been colored red by supporters' T-shirts. As a newspaper wrote that "Korea conquered fear for the 'red'," this indicates a great step toward overcoming anti-communist sentiment. Similar change is taking place when people in South Korea began openly criticizing the United States by expressing 'dislike' of the U.S., a major change in South Korea-U.S. relations, he said. He also mentioned political moves toward the December presidential election.

As for the school textbook issue, Chi said that the South Korean people had to learn that as long as the Japanese government sticks to its present attitude, there still remains a big barrier between the two nations in promoting their reconciliation. However, positive advances will be made through people-to-people and regional exchanges between South Korea and Japan through cultural events and others, he stressed. (end)