World War II japan and North Korea

[PF]

Read in March 4, 2014 issue of The Washington Post of how Japan and North Korea are together for talks-among topics the repreation of 21,000 Japanese remains from World War II from North Korea to Japan.....
And 2/3 of our 7,898 Korean War US MIAS are still in North Korea

[LineDoggie]

The remains must be from the Soviets in 45

[Wellgunde]

Technically, the "informal talks" were held between Red Cross representatives from each country with the diplomats sitting on the sidelines. The last talks were held in 2012. The only important result from these talks, which in themselves can resolve nothing, would be an announcement that the two countries will hold a formal diplomatic meeting. North Korea, could of course, repatriate the remains any time it wished without any or few strings attached. As an example, North Korea returned 208 boxes of remains possibly accounting for over 400 individuals to the United States in 1996. North Korea has also over the years assisted teams from the U.S. Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Persons Office in searching for remains in North Korea. DNA analysis of these remains is ongoing. Three remains were identified as recently as January of this year.

Needless to say, the North Koreans have chosen to speak to Japan because they have an agenda. The Japanese press has speculated that if North Korea returns some or all of the remains, Japan might be induced to soften its hard stance on economic sanctions for North Korea. North Korea's economy is in terrible condition with the country ranking as one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world.

Perhaps a matter of greater concern to the Japanese government and public than the remains was hinted at by the Japanese media. It is believed that the talks also discussed the kidnapping of Japanese citizens from Japan proper by the North Koreans in the 1970s and 1980s.

Wellgunde