Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Tuesday reaffirmed his opposition to the removal of the statue of a girl that symbolizes Korean sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during World War II.
"It is extremely difficult for us to forcibly remove the statue, which has been erected through fund-raising by civilians and citizens," Park said during a news conference at the Korea Press Center in downtown Seoul.
"Seoul citizens think of the statue as symbolic and historical," he said in reference to the Japanese government's demand for the relocation of the statue set up in front of its embassy in Seoul.
On Dec. 28, South Korea and Japan reached a landmark deal in which they agreed to resolve the "comfort women" issue with Tokyo's formal recognition of responsibility, an apology from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the Japanese government's offer of 1 billion yen (US$8.29 million) in reparations to the 46 surviving Korean victims.
"Despite such a diplomatic agreement, spring has not yet come between South Korea and Japan," Park said. "Yet, Seoul and Tokyo maintain a very close relationship on the provincial government level." (Yonhap)
"It is extremely difficult for us to forcibly remove the statue, which has been erected through fund-raising by civilians and citizens," Park said during a news conference at the Korea Press Center in downtown Seoul.
"Seoul citizens think of the statue as symbolic and historical," he said in reference to the Japanese government's demand for the relocation of the statue set up in front of its embassy in Seoul.
On Dec. 28, South Korea and Japan reached a landmark deal in which they agreed to resolve the "comfort women" issue with Tokyo's formal recognition of responsibility, an apology from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the Japanese government's offer of 1 billion yen (US$8.29 million) in reparations to the 46 surviving Korean victims.
"Despite such a diplomatic agreement, spring has not yet come between South Korea and Japan," Park said. "Yet, Seoul and Tokyo maintain a very close relationship on the provincial government level." (Yonhap)
