BERLIN, April 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Visiting South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun supported Wednesday Germany's candidacy for a permanent seat of the Security Council.

    However, speaking at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Roh admitted the two countries still differed on the reform of the United Nations.

    Roh said that if UN reform Plan B was adopted, he would naturally support a German candidacy.

    Under Plan-B, a new category of semi-permanent Security Council membership will be chosen through regional elections for a four-year term.

    The so-called Plan-A would create six new permanent Security Council seats. Germany is seeking a seat under Plan-A.

    "This is the only area where we have differences," Roh said.

    On Tuesday, speaking to reporters, a Roh's aide said: "(President Roh) deems Germany is fully qualified to enter the UN Security Council if it is subjected to do a change."

    Germany, Japan, India and Brazil are among countries wanting permanent seats on an expanded Council, which now has five permanent members: Britain, China, France, the United States and Russia.

    Japan's bid meets more hurdles in Asia due to its failure to fully acknowledge atrocities committed to its neighboring countries during World War II.

    When asked by a reporter what Asia could learn from Germany in terms of dealing with history at the news conference, Schroeder sent a thinly-veiled message to Japan, saying that a country needs to deal with history in a "self-critical" manner.

    "Every country must find its way to deal with the good sides as well as the darker sides of its history," he said.

    "I can give you a German experience. With a sensitive and self-critical manner of dealing with your own history you will not lose friends but rather win friends," Schroeder told reporters.

    In sharp contrast with Japan, Germany has made huge efforts to recognize, compensate and remember Nazi war crimes. Enditem