President Park Geun-hye met with a delegation of Japanese lawmakers and stressed that Japan must resolve the "comfort women" issue.
In a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on October 24 with Fukushiro Nukaga, chairman of the Japan-Korea lawmakers body, President Park said, "Next year is the 50th anniversary of the resumption of the Korea-Japan diplomatic relationship and it is time for both nations to make efforts to upgrade our bilateral relationship. Japan has been an important ally and we tried to develop our relations further, but I am sorry that challenges continue to lie ahead."
"Resolving the 'comfort women' issue is the starting point for a new beginning in our bilateral relations," Park said. "I hope that Japan can take acceptable action to restore the honor of the surviving women who were sexually enslaved during World War II, while they are still alive."
"It is also important that people do not repeatedly make regressive remarks that hurt the hearts of the victims and of the Korean public, so that the two nations can build trust and further develop our bilateral relations."
In response, Nukaga said, "I talked to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently. Prime Minister Abe asked me to deliver a message that the two nations improve our bilateral relations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Korea-Japan diplomatic relationship next year and that he hopes to improve our bilateral relationship through dialogue."
"Prime Minister Abe has publicly stated that he would adhere to the Murayama Statement and to the Kono Statement, since previous administrations have also acceded to those statements," he added.
"Learning from the fact that our relations have gotten worse, even after a bilateral summit, sincere efforts are needed before preparations are thoroughly made so we can have a successful summit," said the president.
"When Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe visited Korea in July, he said he would make efforts to stop the demonstrations against ethnic Koreans living in Japan," said President Park. "It is a relief that Japanese political circles are taking visible action to respond to anti-Korean demonstrations."
By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Cheong Wa Dae
jun2@korea.kr
In a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on October 24 with Fukushiro Nukaga, chairman of the Japan-Korea lawmakers body, President Park said, "Next year is the 50th anniversary of the resumption of the Korea-Japan diplomatic relationship and it is time for both nations to make efforts to upgrade our bilateral relationship. Japan has been an important ally and we tried to develop our relations further, but I am sorry that challenges continue to lie ahead."
"Resolving the 'comfort women' issue is the starting point for a new beginning in our bilateral relations," Park said. "I hope that Japan can take acceptable action to restore the honor of the surviving women who were sexually enslaved during World War II, while they are still alive."
"It is also important that people do not repeatedly make regressive remarks that hurt the hearts of the victims and of the Korean public, so that the two nations can build trust and further develop our bilateral relations."
President Park Geun-hye (middle) and Japanese lawmaker Fukushiro Nukaga shake hands at Cheong Wa Dae on October 24.
In response, Nukaga said, "I talked to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently. Prime Minister Abe asked me to deliver a message that the two nations improve our bilateral relations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Korea-Japan diplomatic relationship next year and that he hopes to improve our bilateral relationship through dialogue."
"Prime Minister Abe has publicly stated that he would adhere to the Murayama Statement and to the Kono Statement, since previous administrations have also acceded to those statements," he added.
President Park Geun-hye talks with a delegation of Japanese lawmakers.
"Learning from the fact that our relations have gotten worse, even after a bilateral summit, sincere efforts are needed before preparations are thoroughly made so we can have a successful summit," said the president.
"When Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe visited Korea in July, he said he would make efforts to stop the demonstrations against ethnic Koreans living in Japan," said President Park. "It is a relief that Japanese political circles are taking visible action to respond to anti-Korean demonstrations."
By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Cheong Wa Dae
jun2@korea.kr
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