Pres. Moon says South Koreans “frankly cannot accept” comfort women agreement

Posted on : 2017-06-13 17:32 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Moon also stresses the restoration of ‘shuttle diplomacy’ with Japan, and the increase of private exchange
President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with Japanese Liberal Democratic Party secretary-general Toshihiro Nikai at the Blue House
President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with Japanese Liberal Democratic Party secretary-general Toshihiro Nikai at the Blue House

President Moon Jae-in reiterated on June 12 that the South Korean public “frankly cannot accept” the Dec. 2015 agreement reached by the South Korean and Japanese governments on the Japanese military comfort women issue, while going on to express his hopes for a South Korea-Japan summit in the near future.

Moon’s remarks sent the message that the new administration plans to respond separately to historical issues and current diplomatic issues in its relations with Tokyo. They came during a meeting with a delegation led by Liberal Democratic Party secretary-general Toshihiro Nikai, who was visiting the Blue House that afternoon as a special envoy for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“More than anything, the comfort women [survivors] themselves do not accept [the agreement from Dec. 28, 2015],” Moon said, arguing that this was a “fact that South Korea and Japan will have to confront directly.”

During the meeting that day, Moon accepted a letter written by Abe from Nikai.

“The two sides don’t have to dwell on this issue so much that it leads them onto paths that block other issues,” he said.

“With historical issues, we should harness our wisdom to resolve them themselves, while other issues should be addressed for what they are and progress should be made on them,” he continued, instructing Nikai to “make sure to share this with Prime Minister Abe.”

Moon went on to say that historical issues “are what are hampering South Korea-Japan relations and making them uncomfortable, and I don‘t see them as likely to be resolved quickly.”

“But the people of Japan need to understand how South Korean feels about this, and I believe our relationship will grow faster when both sides harness their wisdom to make improvements,” he continued.

Regarding Abe’s reference in the letter to the North Korean nuclear issue, Moon stressed that “North Korea’s denuclearization is essential for peace in the world and Northeast Asia and for South Korea’s survival.”

“In that sense, South Korea and Japan are of the same mind, and I support Prime Minister Abe when he says we need stronger pressure and sanctions for the complete denuclearization of North Korea,” he said.

At the same time, Moon noted, “[The issue] is not going to go away through pressure and sanctions alone.”

“Only by bringing [Pyongyang] to the table for dialogue will we be able to achieve complete denuclearization,” he said.

“So while we do need strong pressure and sanctions on one hand, we also need to send the message on the other that we can help together if [North Korea] gives up its nuclear program.”

Moon also stressed that relations between Seoul and Tokyo “need to reach the stage where ‘shuttle diplomacy’ has been restored,” adding that he “hope[s] private exchange will be expanded as well.”

“I hope to meet with Prime Minister Abe at the G20 summit meeting [scheduled for July], and I would like to see a bilateral summit meeting happen in the near future,” he said.

Nikai‘s responses to Moon’s remarks on June 12 were generally statements of “I agree” and “We should work together on that.” But Nikai did not shown any particular response to Moon‘s remarks about the Dec. 28 agreement.

“Conscientious politicians on both sides need to cooperate for the sake of South Korea’s development and Japan’s development,” Nikai said, adding that he was “happy to be able to meet with you so quickly like this when you have only been in office for one month.”

“The Liberal Democratic Party has a majority in the Diet of Japan, and we will work responsibly to see to it that [the matters discussed in] our conversation today [come] to pass.”

By Jung Yu-gyung and Jung In-hwan, staff reporters

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]

 

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