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WORLD NEWSFriday 16 October 2015

Regional acting President Artur Mas, center, waves to the crowd as he arrives at the Catalonia’s South Korea: Regional summit
high court for questioning over their suspected roll in holding a poll in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, chance to help ties with Japan
Oct. 15, 2015. Thousands of people are rallying outside a Barcelona court in support of Catalan
regional acting President Artur Mas who has arrived for questioning over the staging of a symbolic M. PENNINGTON
referendum on secession from Spain last year. Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — South Korea’s president said
(AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Thursday that an upcoming summit of Northeast Asia’s
three leading powers will be a chance to improve her
Thousands turn up at court to support nation’s strained relations with Japan.
President Park Geun-hye spoke ahead of a White
Catalan leader President Artur Mas House meeting Friday with President Barack Obama,
who is keen for America’s two key Asian allies to over-
EMILIO MORENATTI for last year’s referendum last month in Catalonia’s come bitter differences over Japanese abuses during
CIARAN GILES and accused the central 135-member parliament, World War II.
Associated Press Spanish government in falling short of a majority. Park told a Washington think tank that in early No-
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Madrid of turning what he His alliance is negotiating vember, Seoul will host a summit between the leaders
Thousands waving Catalan considered a democratic with the radical pro-seces- of South Korea, Japan and China - the first such meet-
independence flags ral- process into a criminal one. sion CUP party, which won ing in three-and-a-half years.
lied Thursday in support of Mas is under investigation 10 seats, to try to form a “I hope this trilateral summit will provide an oppor-
regional acting President for grave disobedience, coalition majority. Mas has tunity for Korea and Japan to clear away obstacles
Artur Mas who was being abuse of public funds, pre- promised to set Catalonia hindering closer bilateral ties and thus hold sincere
questioned at a Barcelona varication, usurping powers on a path toward indepen- discussions on the way forward toward a common
court for holding a symbol- and obstructing justice. If dence by 2017 if he gets future,” Park said at the Center for Strategic and In-
ic referendum on secession tried and found guilty, he the majority. ternational Studies.
from Spain. could face disqualification Although the pro-inde- Park said she was willing to meet bilaterally with Ja-
Some 400 pro-indepen- from office or up to one pendence camp won 72 pan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but for such a meet-
dence mayors and inde- year in jail. Two associates seats, it got only 48 percent ing to be “meaningful” there needed to be progress
pendence party leaders are also under investiga- of the popular vote. This is on the divisive issue of sexual exploitation of Korean
joined Mas and his gov- tion. because Spain’s electoral women by Japan’s imperial army during the war. Chi-
ernment councilors as he The probe was opened af- system gives more seats na has similar gripes with Japan.
walked parade-style to the ter Catalonia went ahead to votes from rural areas, South Korea has been seeking an apology and com-
court building, cheered with the Nov. 9, 2014 ref- where secession sentiment pensation for surviving Korean victims. Park said only
on by some 5,000 support- erendum, defying a ruling is strong in Catalonia. 47 such women were still alive.
ers. Chants of “Indepen- by Spain’s Constitutional Spain has ruled out any “We really don’t have much time in terms of dealing
dence! Independence!” Court. In the mock poll, less possibility of Catalonia be- with this issue and making sure that we can bring clo-
and “This court does not than half of those eligible coming independent. sure to their pent-up agony,” Park said, according to
represent us!” rang out as took part, with some 80 Polls show Catalans over- the English translation of her remarks.
Mas stopped to salute the percent voting in favor of whelmingly support the The Japan-South Korea tensions have been a source
crowd at the building’s breaking away from Spain. right for a secession referen- of anxiety to Washington as it looks to strengthen
steps. Mas headed the “Together dum but are evenly divided theU.S. military presence in Asia. The U.S. wants its two
Speaking later, Mas said he for Yes” pro-independence over independence.q allies, which host a total of about 80,000 American
accepted full responsibility alliance that won 62 seats forces, to deepen security cooperation against the
common threat they face from nuclear-armed North
Korea.
The South Korean leader said that the Korean Pen-
insula stands at a “crossroads” because of the pos-
sibility of “strategic provocations” by North Korea in
October. There has been speculation that the North,
which just marked the 70th anniversary of the ruling
communist party, could stage a long-range rocket
launch or a nuclear test.
Park described North Korea as the last vestige of the
Cold War.
“Vietnam, Myanmar and now Cuba are all headed
in the direction of reforms and open door policy. Iran
has struck a nuclear agreement. Yet, North Korea
clings to the path of isolation by continuing its military
provocations and development of nuclear capabili-
ties,” she said.
Park said that South Korea, the U.S. and China - the
North’s only major ally - should make new efforts to
deal with Pyongyang.q