Sangryeol Lee, Director of the Asia-Pacific Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Arrives in Japan for Bilateral Relations Working-Level Talks

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] Lee Sang-ryeol, Director General of the Asia-Pacific Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited Japan on the 31st to lead high-level working-level consultations with Japan. Director Lee arrived in Tokyo, Japan, and will meet with Takehiro Funakoshi, Director General of the Asia and Oceania Bureau at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In this regard, Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong explained at a briefing for domestic reporters held at the government complex in the morning, “Today, the Director General of the Asia-Pacific Bureau is departing for Japan.” Director Lee’s visit appears to be aimed at improving channels for high-level working-level consultations.

It is also expected that there will be discussions related to the upcoming Korea-US-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for the end of next month in Washington, DC, USA.

However, Director Lee also plans to protest against the approval of a Japanese high school textbook that contains claims that “Dokdo is Japanese territory.” Earlier, Director Lee summoned Hirohisa Soma, Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of Japan in Korea, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in the afternoon of the previous day and urged immediate correction of the distorted description in the Japanese textbook claiming “Dokdo is Japanese territory.”

Minister Chung emphasized in this regard, “We express concern as Japan is intensifying its claims of sovereignty over Dokdo,” and “We make it clear that Dokdo is undoubtedly our territory historically, geographically, and under international law.”

He also added, “We express concern over the increasing acts of distortion and concealment of historical facts related to the comfort women issue,” and “It is necessary to accurately recognize the essence of the comfort women issue as a violation of the human rights of women during wartime. Education on history should be conducted with such recognition.”

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