South Korean President Moon Jae-in has called on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to face up to history, during the first telephone conversation between the two leaders.
Senior presidential press secretary Yoon Young-chan told a press conference Thursday that Moon spoke with Abe for about 25 minutes in the afternoon.
During the phone conversation, Moon said Japan should face up to history, and not let historical issues become an obstacle preventing the two countries from moving toward mature and cooperative relations.
Hundreds of South Koreans gathered in downtown Seoul on December 28, 2016, in a rally against the agreement over the issue of Japan's wartime sexual slavery of Korean women. /CFP Photo
The two countries, Moon said, should deal with the issues in earnest, according to the press secretary.
Moon said the majority of South Koreans did not accept the agreement on comfort women victims "emotionally," referring to the December 28, 2015, agreement reached "finally and irreversibly" between the two nations.
In exchange, Japan agreed to provide one billion yen (nearly 8.76 million US dollars), part of which will be used to directly compensate the South Korean victims of its past brutality.
Many South Koreans, including most of the victims in their 80s and 90s, protested against the agreement as Abe has yet to sincerely apologize and compensate for the wartime crimes against humanity committed by Japan.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday, insisting that most South Koreans could not accept the deal reached by the former Seoul government. /CFP Photo
During his conversation with Abe, Moon expressed his desire to wisely handle historical issues, including the comfort women issue, to develop the bilateral ties. Moon urged Abe to inherit and respect past declarations made by former Japanese leaders that showed heartfelt apologies and repent over Japan's wartime atrocities.
Regarding the comfort women issue, Abe anticipated to steadily implement the agreement as a base to build future-oriented relations between the two countries, confirming his basic principle.
Separately from the historical issues, Moon said it would be necessary for South Korea and Japan to make efforts to tackle the issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear and missile programs.
The two leaders agreed to hold a summit meeting as early as possible.
(Source: Xinhua)
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