The Voice of America is expanding its Korean service aimed at the North Korean people, already isolated from the outside world and even more so since the country's missile and nuclear tests this year.

Informing them about abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents in the past "is one of the important issues," said Dong Lee, chief of the U.S.-affiliated radio broadcaster's East Asia and Pacific Division Korean Service.

"Although we don't get much out of it right now since there is no bilateral movement between Japan and North Korea . . . we are paying much attention" to what the Japanese government might do, Lee said.

Lee's comments coincide with the Japanese government's recent order that NHK air more content on the abductions in its shortwave radio service. It was the first time the government has issued a specific order to the public broadcaster, stirring media concerns about freedom of the press.