EARLY EDITION 18:00 Park to meet Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang this week

ARIRANG NEWS 18:00 Title: Park to meet Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang this week President Park Geun-hye is scheduled to hold talks with her Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and Prime minister Li Keqiang this week ahead of China′s 70th anniversary ceremony marking the end of World War Two. Senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs Ju Chul-ki said on Monday that the two leaders are expected to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations and issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula. This encounter will mark the sixth meeting between the two leaders since early 2013. Park is also scheduled to hold separate talks with Li Keqiang to discuss ways to maximize economic cooperation including a free trade agreement between the two countries. Title: S. Korean leader likely to be seated next to Xi Jinping at military parade With China′s Victory Day military parade fast approaching, eyes are focused on who will be sitting next to Chinese President Xi Jinping. The seating plans are often a good barometer of the countries′ diplomatic relations. Hwang Sung-hee tells us more. The most likely scenario is that Chinese President Xi Jinping will be sitting between his South Korean and Russian counterparts at the September 3rd military parade in Beijing. China and Russia are jointly celebrating the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, and Beijing′s high-profile event follows a similar ceremony held in Moscow in May. If the seat to the right of the Chinese leader is reserved for Putin to showcase China-Russia ties, most speculate President Park Geun-hye will be seated to his left. This, given South Korea′s status among the 30 countries attending the upcoming celebrations which includes Sudan and Venezuela , as well as blossoming Seoul-Beijing ties. Absent from the guest list are leaders from the United States and other major Western powers that fought alongside China in World War Two. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is also staying away. North Korea will be represented by Choe Ryong-hae, secretary of the ruling Workers′ Party, and one of Kim′s closest aides. The young North Korean leader′s absence is another sign of cooling ties with China, which has grown much closer to South Korea under President Park and Xi′s leadership. Hwang Sung-hee, Arirang News. Title: China critical of Japan′s objection to UN chief′s China visit Japan and China are at odds over UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon′s planned attendance at China′s upcoming war ceremony, marking the end of World War II. Tokyo′s foreign ministry last Friday expressed its "strong displeasure" regarding the visit... adding on Monday,... that the world body "should not focus on the history of certain member states." In response, China′s English-language newspaper ′China Daily′ criticized Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe′s administration... for being "narrow-minded" and "clinging to incorrect perceptions of history". The daily added that Abe lost