South Korea: Japan needs to be careful when speaking about comfort women issue

(Baonghean.vn)- According to Yonhap news agency, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said on June 12 that it has called on Japan to be more careful in making statements related to thorny issues in bilateral relations such as the comfort women issue.

“It is necessary to be cautious in making any statements on bilateral relations such as the comfort women issue,” said an official from the South Korean Foreign Ministry who requested anonymity, adding that the South Korean government’s stance had recently been conveyed to the Japanese government.

Toshihiro Nikai (center), special envoy for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and other Japanese officials visit Seoul National Cemetery on June 12. Photo: Yonhap

The call came after Toshihiro Nikai, Secretary-General of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who is visiting South Korea as a special envoy of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, told South Korean lawmakers on June 10 that efforts should be made to eliminate those who are trying to use various tricks.

Although he did not mention any specific issue, the statement was seen as a criticism of those who have demanded a renegotiation of the agreement reached by the two sides in late 2015 on the issue of comfort women.

In a phone call after taking office on May 10, President Moon Jae-in said many South Koreans could not accept the deal “emotionally,” hinting that the Seoul government might seek to change the deal.

Mr. Toshihiro Nikai is expected to meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on the afternoon of June 12 and deliver to Mr. Moon a letter from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Lan Ha

(According to Yonhap)