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The surviving bomber of Korean Air flight 858 could meet the family of Yaeko Taguchi, a Japanese abduction victim who according to Kim taught her Japanese in North Korea.
After meeting with his Japanese counterpart Hirofumi Nakasone, Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan on Wednesday told reporters Kim recently expressed her willingness to meet Ms. Taguchi's family, who also hope to see her, "and I understand that they will meet soon." South Korean and Japanese authorities are apparently arranging their meeting here this month.
Taguchi was 22 when she was reported missing in 1978. Kim's testimony is important in finding the truth since the North says Taguchi died in a car accident in 1986, claiming her remains were washed away when a dam gave way. But in a recent press interview, Kim said Taguchi still taught Japanese in 1987 and could still be alive.
Efforts to realize the meeting have been made for several years, but to no avail. A government official said, "It seems that the previous government was not very active on the issue in consideration of its relations with North Korea."
In a recent interview with the Monthly Chosun, Kim said the National Intelligence Service and broadcasters close to the Roh Moo-hyun administration denied her and Taguchi's existence and distorted the truth about the bombing of Korean Air flight 858.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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