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WASHINGTON - South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-Soon on Friday criticised remarks by Japan's prime minister questioning Tokyo's enslavement of Asian women during World War II as "not helpful."
Min-Soon was asked about comments made on Thursday by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who disputed if Tokyo was responsible for the enslavement of thousands of mostly Korean women during World War II.
"These remarks, I have to say, are not helpful" in "our common and joint efforts" to build a better relationship between Japan and South Korea, the foreign minister said during a visit to Washington.
Min-Soon added that "wherever you are and whatever you are doing," a person must uphold "the truth and respect for the universal brotherhood of mankind."
Historians say at least 200,000 young women, mostly from Korea but also from China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan, were forced to serve as sex slaves in Japanese army brothels.
But Abe, who is known for his conservative views on history, on Thursday voiced doubts that Japan forced women into sexual slavery.
"The fact is that there is no evidence to support the claim of the coercion," Abe said.
Abe's comments appeared to contradict Japan's statement of regret in 1993 when a top government spokesman issued a statement voicing "sincere apologies and remorse" and acknowledging that Japan's imperial army was involved "directly or indirectly" in sexual slavery.
- AFP /ls
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