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President Park Geun-hye. (Blue House photo pool)

President Park Geun-hye called on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Nov. 13 to “make a decision to attend to the wounds from the past and heal them” on the issue of “comfort women” drafted into sexual slavery for the Japanese military.

Park’s message came as part of a joint written interview that day with eight news services affiliated with the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA).

“Dragging on without acknowledging the problem goes against the sentiment commonly shared by all peoples around the world. I hope to see tangible progress achieved in the near future,” Park added.

At their bilateral summit earlier this month, Park and Abe agreed to “speed up discussions” to resolve the comfort women issue as quickly as possible. But with Tokyo since claiming that a solution before the end of the year is unlikely, Park now looks to be pressuring Abe toward an earlier “decision” to resolve the matter.

Park’s response also addressed the possibility of an inter-Korean summit.

“There is no reason not to hold an inter-Korean summit if a breakthrough comes in solving the North Korean nuclear issue and progress is made in improving the South-North relationship.” she said.

Park then went on to reiterate Seoul’s general position on the matter.

“[I]t will be possible only when the North comes forward for a proactive and sincere dialogue. What counts most is North Korea's sincerity and determination to act on its words,” she said.

On the issue of the administration’s move to designate state-issued history textbooks, Park reiterated that “history education is like nurturing national spirit, and thus it is very significant in forming a proper view of history and values.”

Park is departing South Korea on Nov. 14 to attend the G20 summit, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, and ASEAN+3 (South Korea, China, and Japan) and East Asia Summit (EAS).

By Choi Hye-jung, staff reporter

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