Ministry of Foreign Affairs "Carefully Reviewing Referral of Comfort Women Issue to ICJ... Will Listen More to Victims' Voices"

Survivor of Japanese military sexual slavery, Halmoni Lee Yong-soo, is shedding tears during a press conference on the 16th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, urging to bring the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for judgment. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Regarding the request made by grandmother Lee Yong-soo, a victim of the Japanese military comfort women, to have the comfort women issue judged by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The referral to the ICJ will be carefully reviewed."

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said to reporters on the 16th, "We will communicate with the victims, including grandmother Lee, and listen more to their voices," expressing this stance.

On the same day, grandmother Lee held a press conference at the Seoul Press Center, appealing to President Moon Jae-in and the government to have the international court make a ruling on the comfort women issue. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains a policy of carefully reviewing whether to refer the case to the ICJ.

In response to a reporter's question about whether the U.S. is pressuring to improve Korea-Japan relations, the official replied, "Improving Korea-Japan relations is unrelated to other matters," and added, "Our position to promote healthy development of Korea-Japan relations remains unchanged."

Regarding recent reports citing senior government officials that the Moon administration prioritizes Korea-Japan relations over inter-Korean relations, the official said, "Such evaluations or perspectives do not seem to accurately reflect our government's position," emphasizing, "There are many speculations, but the policy direction is fundamentally the same."

Concerning Ambassador Kang Chang-il's inability to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Suga and Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu, the official stated, "Each country may have different customs and procedures," and added, "The domestic schedule or courtesy calls of a newly appointed ambassador proceed according to each country's customs and procedures."

The official also said, "Our government continues to monitor related developments, but it is somewhat premature to express regret," and added, "Please wait a little longer."

As U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's Asia tour is increasingly likely to take place next month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that no specific schedule for his visit to Korea has been arranged yet. The official said, "Since the inauguration of the Biden administration, due to domestic issues and variant virus concerns, there have been no overseas visits planned through this month," and added, "I understand that opinions are emerging about what will happen after March, but there is no detailed coordination specifically with our country."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.