|
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has started to combat the fire that followed President Roh Moo-hyun's March 1st Independence Movement speech which seemed to aim at Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. The ministry is conscious of the influence the speech may have on relations between Korea and Japan.
An official at the Foreign Ministry said today, ¡°The March 1st Independence Movement commemoration speech President Roh made had nothing to do with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and [the speech] was written at Cheong Wa Dae,¡± and ¡°we saw the preliminary script, but were not told of the statements [concerning Koizumi].¡±
He said, ¡°When President Roh spoke about the national leaders of Japan, he was not aiming at Junichiro Koizumi in particular, but was speaking in general,¡± and, ¡°Chief of the General Affairs Department Aso Daro and Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara are all national leaders.¡±
He also added that ¡°If it was related to Prime Minister Koizumi, the president could have sent a letter or a spokesman of the Foreign Ministry could have announced it. There would be no need for the President to say it in his March 1st Independence Movement commemoration address.¡±
|
