SEOUL (Jiji Press)—Japan has called for South Korean understanding of the findings of its reexamination of how the Kono statement on so-called comfort women was drawn up.
The request was made during talks on Wednesday between senior foreign ministry officials of the two countries in Seoul.
The South Korean side expressed deep concern and urged Japan to demonstrate through action its position that it will inherit the statement issued by then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono in 1993, which admitted the involvement of the now-defunct Imperial Japanese Army in the wartime prostitution system and offered apologies to those women.
The meeting was attended by Junichi Ihara, director general of the Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, and Lee Sang Deuk, director general of the Northeast Asian Affairs Bureau of the South Korean Foreign Ministry.
Both sides remained apart on the comfort women issue. Japan insisted the issue is already resolved, while South Korea demanded Japan take measures to satisfy Korean victims.
After the talks, Ihara told reporters the Japanese side had not proposed any new plans to resolve the issue.
Ihara and Lee also held broad discussions ranging from the situation in North Korea, including the issue of abductions of Japanese nationals by the reclusive country decades ago, to Tokyo’s decision to allow Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense.
According to the South Korean side, Ihara said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has no plans to visit North Korea. Lee, in the meantime, expressed concern about demonstrations in Japan by people who hate South Korea and urged Tokyo to deal with them appropriately.
The two directors general are believed to have talked about possible foreign ministerial talks among Japan, South Korea and the United States, or between Japan and South Korea, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum in Myanmar on Aug. 10.
ROK urged to understand Kono review - The Japan News
Great development !
The request was made during talks on Wednesday between senior foreign ministry officials of the two countries in Seoul.
The South Korean side expressed deep concern and urged Japan to demonstrate through action its position that it will inherit the statement issued by then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono in 1993, which admitted the involvement of the now-defunct Imperial Japanese Army in the wartime prostitution system and offered apologies to those women.
The meeting was attended by Junichi Ihara, director general of the Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, and Lee Sang Deuk, director general of the Northeast Asian Affairs Bureau of the South Korean Foreign Ministry.
Both sides remained apart on the comfort women issue. Japan insisted the issue is already resolved, while South Korea demanded Japan take measures to satisfy Korean victims.
After the talks, Ihara told reporters the Japanese side had not proposed any new plans to resolve the issue.
Ihara and Lee also held broad discussions ranging from the situation in North Korea, including the issue of abductions of Japanese nationals by the reclusive country decades ago, to Tokyo’s decision to allow Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense.
According to the South Korean side, Ihara said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has no plans to visit North Korea. Lee, in the meantime, expressed concern about demonstrations in Japan by people who hate South Korea and urged Tokyo to deal with them appropriately.
The two directors general are believed to have talked about possible foreign ministerial talks among Japan, South Korea and the United States, or between Japan and South Korea, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum in Myanmar on Aug. 10.
ROK urged to understand Kono review - The Japan News
Great development !
