By Yi Whan-woo
President Park Geun-hye's younger sister Geun-ryeong is disrupting the President's efforts to seek an apology from Japan over its wartime atrocities.
Geun-ryeong, 61, stirred up controversy over her pro-Japan remarks on Thursday when she said Seoul's repeated demands for Tokyo to apologize for the Japanese colonial rule were "inappropriate."
Her remarks came during an interview with Niconico, a Japanese video-sharing website that is popular among conservative Japanese. The interview footage will be released on the website on Aug. 4.
Geun-ryeong, who serves on the board of directors at a high school in Busan, added fuel to the dispute later on Thursday when she said, "being stricken with a victim mentality will not be good for the country's sake.
"Japan laid the groundwork for our country's economic development," Geun-ryeong told reporters upon her arrival from Tokyo. "And we ask Japan to apologize whenever Tokyo has a new prime minister, although its emperor bowed his head and offered an apology repeatedly."
Geun-ryeong said the repeated visits of the Japanese officials, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, to the Yasukuni Shrine are acts of "respect for their ancestors."
The site is to honor the war dead, including convicted Class-A war criminals during WWII. Korea has considered the site ground zero for Japan's unrepentant wartime remembrance.
"Just because one's ancestors did something wrong some 100 years ago, it does not mean their descendents just ignore and not honor them," Geun-ryeong said. "It would be sin against heaven, especially in Asia."
Both ruling and opposition parties criticized Geun-ryeong, saying her remarks were "nonsense."
"I wonder whether she speaks for the Japanese government," said Lee Un-ju, a floor spokeswoman of the main opposition New Politics Alliance (NPAD). "Her remarks show she is totally ignorant in understanding the Korean people's historical wounds."
"It was not appropriate for a public figure such as Geun-ryeong to make such controversial remarks," a ruling Saenuri Party lawmaker said on condition of anonymity.
Shin Yul, a political professor at Myongji University, said the 63-year-old President should draw a line between her and her sister to avoid a possible political setback.
The President will return to office on Monday after her summer vacation this week.
"The President has not had a close relationship with Geun-ryeong for years. Regardless, she needs to make sure she is not responsible for causing a dispute," Shin said. "Otherwise, the media, especially in Japan, will continue to fuel the controversy."
Geun-ryeong also said it is Korea's responsibility to take care of the surviving victims of Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II.
Wartime sexual enslavement of Korean women has been a major stumbling block in mending Korea-Japan relations, which have reached their lowest level under the Park administration.
Seoul has made clear Japan's apology over such crimes will be a pre-condition for a possible summit between the President and conservative Japanese Prime Minister Abe.
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| Park Geun-ryeong |
Geun-ryeong, 61, stirred up controversy over her pro-Japan remarks on Thursday when she said Seoul's repeated demands for Tokyo to apologize for the Japanese colonial rule were "inappropriate."
Her remarks came during an interview with Niconico, a Japanese video-sharing website that is popular among conservative Japanese. The interview footage will be released on the website on Aug. 4.
Geun-ryeong, who serves on the board of directors at a high school in Busan, added fuel to the dispute later on Thursday when she said, "being stricken with a victim mentality will not be good for the country's sake.
"Japan laid the groundwork for our country's economic development," Geun-ryeong told reporters upon her arrival from Tokyo. "And we ask Japan to apologize whenever Tokyo has a new prime minister, although its emperor bowed his head and offered an apology repeatedly."
Geun-ryeong said the repeated visits of the Japanese officials, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, to the Yasukuni Shrine are acts of "respect for their ancestors."
The site is to honor the war dead, including convicted Class-A war criminals during WWII. Korea has considered the site ground zero for Japan's unrepentant wartime remembrance.
"Just because one's ancestors did something wrong some 100 years ago, it does not mean their descendents just ignore and not honor them," Geun-ryeong said. "It would be sin against heaven, especially in Asia."
Both ruling and opposition parties criticized Geun-ryeong, saying her remarks were "nonsense."
"I wonder whether she speaks for the Japanese government," said Lee Un-ju, a floor spokeswoman of the main opposition New Politics Alliance (NPAD). "Her remarks show she is totally ignorant in understanding the Korean people's historical wounds."
"It was not appropriate for a public figure such as Geun-ryeong to make such controversial remarks," a ruling Saenuri Party lawmaker said on condition of anonymity.
Shin Yul, a political professor at Myongji University, said the 63-year-old President should draw a line between her and her sister to avoid a possible political setback.
The President will return to office on Monday after her summer vacation this week.
"The President has not had a close relationship with Geun-ryeong for years. Regardless, she needs to make sure she is not responsible for causing a dispute," Shin said. "Otherwise, the media, especially in Japan, will continue to fuel the controversy."
Geun-ryeong also said it is Korea's responsibility to take care of the surviving victims of Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II.
Wartime sexual enslavement of Korean women has been a major stumbling block in mending Korea-Japan relations, which have reached their lowest level under the Park administration.
Seoul has made clear Japan's apology over such crimes will be a pre-condition for a possible summit between the President and conservative Japanese Prime Minister Abe.
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