US wants role in efforts to settle South Korea-Japan dispute

The United States will "do what we can do" to help resolve festering trade and political disputes between South Korea and Japan, a senior US official said Wednesday after a series of meetings with Seoul officials.

David Stilwell, the top US diplomat for East Asian affairs, is in South Korea for three days, as Seoul is seeking US help to resolve the spat between two of America's most important allies in the region.

After meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Stilwell told reporters that the United States places a "great priority on strengthening" its relations with South Korea and Japan.

"Fundamentally ROK and Japan must resolve the sensitive matters and we hope that the resolution happens soon," Stilwell said, using the abbreviation for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.

"United States is close friend and ally to both. We will do what we can to support their efforts to resolve this."
Kim said Stilwell "sufficiently understood the seriousness of this problem."