President Park hinted at the possibility of a summit with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe... on the sidelines of trilateral talks between Korea， Japan and China set for later this month or early next month.
The key agenda will be Japan′s acknowledgement of its wartime sex crimes.
Song Ji－sun tells us more.
Speaking at a Q－and－A session following her speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies forum...， President Park Geun－hye said she hopes the upcoming trilateral summit with Japan and China will serve as an opportunity to mend Seoul－Tokyo relations.
On the sidelines of that summit， slated for sometime in late October or early November， President Park said she is willing to sit down with Abe... saying it would be meaningful if progress is made on the issue of Japan′s sexual enslavement of Korean women before and during World War II.
″I hope that this trilateral summit will provide an opportunity for Korea and Japan to clear away obstacles hindering closer bilateral ties and thus hold sincere discussions on the way forward toward a common future.″
The two leaders have yet to hold a summit... as bilateral relations remain at a historic low due to Japan′s denial of its wartime atrocities.
In response to President Park′s latest remarks... Japan′s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that the two sides should discuss the matter on multiple levels － hinting a slight change in Tokyo′s stance towards the issue.
Kyodo News also reported that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was quoted as saying Tokyo WILL hold bilateral summits with Seoul and Beijing on the sidelines of the trilateral talks... which will take place for the first time in three and a half years.
Song Ji－sun， Arirang News.
