President Moon Jae-in vowed on Friday to spotlight the plight of South Korea's last few surviving "comfort women," as those forced to work in Japan's wartime brothels are known, in efforts to resolve a dispute with its neighbor over the thorny issue.

The comments figured in a recorded message to a 100-strong gathering of activists, government officials, and others in the city of Cheonan to commemorate the victims of Japanese wartime sexual violence.

South Korea designated August 14 as the Japanese Military Comfort Women Victims Memorial Day in 2017, the anniversary of Kim Hak-soon, a comfort woman and human rights activist, testifying in 1991 about her suffering. It later became the International Memorial Day for Comfort Women.

"The most important principle of resolving the problem is 'victim-centrism'," Moon, who has called the deal flawed for failing to fully reflect the desires of the survivors, said in Friday's remarks.

The event was held on a smaller scale than some in the past, hit by worries over the spread of the coronavirus, recent heavy rain, and a finance scandal in the activist community.

Lee Yong-soo, one of those prominent among the surviving comfort women, whose numbers have dwindled to just 17 now, urged survivors not to lose heart over the scandal.

"Don't be angry," said Lee, speaking from a wheelchair. "There are people who are making efforts to resolve the (comfort women) issue. Please keep them healthy and give them happiness."

Lee, who has accused the longtime leader of an activist group of politically and financially exploiting victims, called for a halt to its weekly protest rallies outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul.

The group's former leader, Yoon Mi-hyang, has denied any wrongdoing but apologized for causing controversy.

Ties between Seoul and Tokyo have long been strained by disputes dating from Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula.

Last year Japan put curbs on exports of high-tech materials to South Korea after a court in its neighbor ordered Japanese firms to pay compensation to Koreans forced to work for them during the war.

(With input from Reuters)