S.Korean government 'regret' over Koizumi's remarks on enshrinement of war criminals

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, February 12, 2004

S.Korean government 'regret' over Koizumi's remarks on enshrinement of war criminals

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

South Korea's foreign ministry expressed "regret" Wednesday over Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's remarks on the enshrinement of Class A war criminals with other war dead at Yasukuni Shrine.

The ministry's spokesman, Shin Bong-kil, stressed that "proper"understanding of the past formed the foundation of South Korean-Japanese relations, and it must be remembered that the Class-A warcriminals among those honored at Yasukuni Shrine caused immeasurable suffering to the South Korean people, reported South Korean Yonhap News Agency.

Japan forcefully annexed the Korean Peninsular in 1910 and ruled it until 1945, with many of those listed as war criminals and enshrined in Yasukuni taking active part in the colonial government.

The statement from the ministry came following a remark from the Japanese prime minister Tuesday, who said that he did not feelany opposition to the enshrinement of all war dead at the sacred shrine. He then said that expressing respect to the dead was a natural feeling, and that he had no intention of changing this view because of comments made by other countries.

The Japanese prime minister also paid a respect to the Yasukunishrine in the first day of 2004, which also triggered great anger among South Korean people.

Source: Xinhua

Questions?Comments? Click here

Japanese PM: I'll Continue to Visit Yasukuni Shrine

China regrets Japanese PM's words at shrine

Koizumi remarks spark China "dissatisfaction and regret"

Why Lai Changxing's appeal to Canadian court rejected? ( 6 Messages)

Japan decides to further cut back economic aid to China ( 30 Messages)

US media urge gov't not to surrender China market to EU ( 2 Messages)

Bird flu detected in US as virus wanes in Asia ( 2 Messages)

Handling Sino-Japan ties in an overall perspective ( 4 Messages)