Japanese PM lambasted for politicizing sex slavery issues

National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang walks out of the Incheon International Airport after arriving from a trip to the U.S., Monday. / Yonhap

By Kim Bo-eun

National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's response to his remarks over sex slaves were “politically motivated.”

Earlier this month, Moon called for the Japanese Emperor to make an apology for Japan sexually enslaving Korean women for its military before and during World War II.

This triggered an angry response from Japan, with Abe calling for Moon to apologize and take back his words.

“What am I to make of this situation in which those who should apologize don't and instead tell me to apologize?” Moon said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency in Los Angeles before returning to Seoul Friday.

He attributed the current situation to “Abe, who is cornered in his country, making politically motivated moves.”

Moon said Abe making the remark on sex slaves an issue was a political move considering “domestic” circumstances.

The Japanese leader has made nationalistic remarks in conflict situations with South Korea, at times he has needed to consolidate conservatives to secure his approval ratings, according to commentators here.

Moon said it has been a consistent stance of his that Japan needs to offer a sincere apology over the sex slave issue.

“In order to qualify as a leading state, Japan needs to apologize, and it would be better if it was made kneeling,” he said, referring to how West German chancellor Willy Brant dropped to his knees in 1970 to apologize for Germany's wartime atrocities.

Conservative forces in Japan appear to be seeking to threaten South Korea with economic retaliation measures, following recent events, including top court rulings in South Korea that ordered Japanese companies to compensate victims of forced labor under Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule.

Japanese media reported that calls have been rising within the conservative Liberal Democratic Party for the export of defense-related goods to Korea to be regulated, in addition to exports of key supplies needed to manufacture semiconductors here.

There have also reportedly been calls within the party for Seoul and Tokyo to scrap a bilateral visa waiver deal, and limit work visas for Koreans seeking employment in Japan.

Meanwhile, a dispute arose over whether Moon's remarks were discussed in a meeting between Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her counterpart Taro Kono in Munich, Friday.

Japan's Jiji Press reported Kono repeatedly called for Moon to apologize and retract his remarks in the meeting, but that Kang did not respond.

The foreign ministry said Japan did not bring up the matter.

Regarding this response, Kono said Sunday he delivered Japan's stance on Moon's remarks at the meeting.

He said he believes “the message was delivered because Korean officials were listening.”