[Title] Letter from Hayato Ikeda, Prime Minister of Japan, to Chung Hee Park, Acting President of the Republic of Korea

Tokyo, November 3, 1962

Your Excellency,

I have perused with deep appreciation Your Excellency's courteous letter dated October 19, 1962, which was delivered to me by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Col. Chong Pil Kim.

Foreign Minister Masayoshi Ohira and I respectively conferred with Col. Kim and exchanged frank views on the problems between Japan and Korea. I believe that these conferences helped us to obtain better understanding on each other's standpoint. In that sense, I consider that Col. Kim's visit to Japan was most fruitful.

In your letter, you have noted that there has recently increased a favourable mood for early conclusion of the Japan - Korea Overall Talks. On my part also, I am gratified that such an atmosphere is now growing more than at any time before. It is my intention to exert all my efforts for normalization as soon as possible of the Japan - Korean relations through such rational and realistic solutions of the pending questions between our two countries as will prove satisfactory to both peoples.

As I am leaving Japan on November 4 on a trip to Europe I write this letter in advance with the desire that it may be transmitted to Your Excellency by Col. Kim who, I understand, will visit Japan again around November on his way back to Korea from the United States.

With best wishes for the health of Your Excellency, I am,

Sincerely yours,

(Signed)

Hayato Ikeda

Prime Minister

His Excellency

Mr. Chung Hee Park,

Chairman of the Supreme Council

for National Reconstruction,

The Republic of Korea.