Japan and South Korea reached a basic agreement on...

Japan and South Korea reached a basic agreement on a draft of an extradition treaty, Japanese and South Korean officials said.
The agreement was reached at a meeting of working-level officials of the two countries held in Seoul, the officials said. The two countries hope to sign the treaty when Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visits South Korea later in 2002, they said.
The planned extradition treaty targets suspected criminals, who will be subject to the death penalty or prison terms of one year or longer and life terms.
It excludes those liable to be politically persecuted in each other's country.
If it is signed, South Korea will be the second country Japan has an extradition treaty with, following the United States.
The treaty should help law enforcement authorities of both nations tackle cross-border crimes and international terrorism, they said.