Korea-Japan Relations

[Anchor Lead]

Standing advisor to the Democratic Party Moon Hee-sang has been appointed to be President Moon Jae-in's special envoy to Japan. While referring to the 1993 Kono Statement, he has hinted that he would seek an expression of a forward-looking stance from Japan in relation to the bilateral agreement on the comfort women issue.

[Pkg]

In August 1993, then-Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono announced a statement that acknowledged and apologized for the forcible conscription of Korean women into sexual slavery for the Japanese military. The Kono Statement rapidly improved the previously conflict-ridden Korea-Japan relationship. Moon Hee-sang, a standing advisor to the Democratic Party, mentioned the Kono Statement while saying that he plans to meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as the new special envoy to Japan. Moon Hee-sang said that a future-oriented, grand political agreement is needed to improve Korea-Japan relations. His statement apparently indicates that he will demand from Japan an expression on par with the Kono Statement, an admission that the Japanese military had forced Korean women into sexual slavery. Moon Hee-sang will soon be reporting such plans to President Moon Jae-in.

[Soundbite] Moon Hee-sang(Standing advisor for the Democratic Party) : "I was invited to lunch at the Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday with five other special envoys. (Are you the special envoy to Japan?) Yes."

Meanwhile, President Moon plans to send Chairman of the Board of the Korean Peninsula Forum Hong Seok-hyun to the U.S. as his special envoy in addition to former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan to China, Representative Song Young-gil to Russia and Sogang University Professor Cho Yoon-je to the EU. The Cheong Wa Dae officially announced the list of special envoys today.