South Korea Welcomes Abe’s Planned Visit

January 25, 2018

Seoul- A press secretary at the South Korean presidential office on Wednesday welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to visit South Korea on the occasion of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics next month.

South Korea hopes to closely work with the Japanese government so that Abe's visit will help develop the two countries' future-oriented ties, the press secretary said.

In Tokyo earlier on Wednesday, Abe told reporters, "I want to attend the (Feb. 9) opening ceremony for the Pyeongchang Olympics if conditions permit."

According to a senior official of the presidential office, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has instructed government officials to discuss with the Japanese side the date for his possible summit with Abe, agenda items and whether the meeting will be held in Seoul or Pyeongchang.

The official noted that the South Korean government has made clear its policy of taking a two-track strategy, under which future-oriented bilateral cooperation and history issues are handled separately.

If Abe refers to the issue of so-called comfort women at the possible bilateral summit, Moon will convey his government's position that the December 2015 accord between Japan and the administration of then South Korean President Park Geun-hye is not a solution to the problem, the official said.

Moon will also show the South Korean government's position on a girl's statue symbolizing comfort women, erected in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul, the official said. Comfort women, mainly Koreans, refer to those allegedly forced into prostitution for Japanese troops before and during World War II.

The official indicated that the handling of the one billion yen that the Japanese government provided to a South Korean foundation set up based on the 2015 accord for supporting former comfort women is unlikely to be discussed at the potential Moon-Abe meeting.

On whether Moon and Abe will produce a joint statement to sum up their discussions and whether Moon will make a return visit to Japan, the official said only that what matters is that the two leaders will hold a meeting. South Korea will watch progress in dialogue between the two sides, the official noted. Jiji Press