President Roh Moo-hyun and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will meet for summit talks in the resort island of Jeju on Wednesday.

The two leaders are expected to discuss pending bilateral issues, including the prospect of a peaceful resolution to North Korea's nuclear standoff and ways to promote South Korea-Japan relations. Roh and Koizumi will hold a joint news conference after their summit, followed by a dinner banquet.

The summit meeting is drawing much attention as it comes amid signs of easing nuclear tensions and reports that an inter-Korean summit might take place before 2005. Japan is also reportedly pushing to normalize diplomatic ties with the North within one year.

Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon said the strategic goal of the Roh-Koizumi summit is to encourage international efforts to settle the nuclear impasse and enhance bilateral cooperation along the way.

Meanwhile, Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper said the two countries will seek to adopt an accord on strengthening bilateral cooperation in dealing with criminal cases involving Japanese who commit crimes in South Korea and vice-versa. The Asahi Shiumbun said Koizumi will also use the summit talks to officially invite Roh to visit Japan in November or December.

The summit meeting is the two leaders' second in 13 months, following Pres. Roh's visit to Tokyo last June.