Korea-Japan Deputy Foreign Ministers Meeting... Protest and Demand for Action over 'Soma's Offensive Remarks'

Vice Minister Choi Jong-geon: "Please take appropriate measures as soon as possible"

Choi Jong-geon, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (left), is taking a commemorative photo with Takeo Mori, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, before the Korea-Japan Vice Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ikura Office in Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan, on the afternoon of the 20th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] During the Korea-Japan Deputy Foreign Ministers' meeting, the two countries engaged in a tense exchange over the controversy surrounding Consul Soma's offensive remarks, the issue of forced labor during Japanese colonial rule, and the victims of the Japanese military's comfort women system.

On the 20th, Choi Jong-geon, First Vice Foreign Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Takeo Mori, Deputy Vice Minister of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held talks for about 1 hour and 30 minutes at the Ikura Diplomatic Office of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the afternoon.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Vice Minister Choi protested to Deputy Vice Minister Mori about Consul Soma's undiplomatic and rude remarks and requested that the Japanese side take appropriate measures as soon as possible.

Hirohisa Soma, Consul General of the Embassy of Japan in Korea, sparked controversy on the 15th when he made disparaging remarks comparing President Moon Jae-in's efforts to improve Korea-Japan relations to sexual expressions during a luncheon with a domestic media outlet.

Vice Minister Choi conveyed that resolving historical issues requires gaining the understanding and empathy of the victims, and expressed hope that the Japanese side would approach the matter with an open attitude based on a correct understanding of history.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two deputy ministers agreed to continue efforts to resolve current issues based on the accumulated results of working-level consultations between the two sides, aiming to realize the previously unsuccessful Korea-Japan summit meeting.

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