SEOUL, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye has dismissed any chance of a summit with the Japanese prime minister unless Japan apologizes for its World War II record.
Japan is "a very important partner with whom we have to work and I hope we can look forward to improved relations," she said in a wide-ranging interview with the BBC.
"But sadly there are certain issues that complicate this. One is is the comfort women," she said.
The issue of comfort women remains an emotive subject in both Koreas -- north and south. Women in occupied territories were taken to so-called comfort stations of the Japanese military and forced to provide sexual services to officers and soldiers.
Related
The military brothel service also was used in other parts of Asia under Japanese military occupation up to the end of the war in 1945 and defeat of Japan.
"These are women who have spent their blossoming years in hardship and suffering and spent the rest of their lives in ruins. None of these cases have been resolved or addressed," she said
Park -- who looked subdued during when talking about the subject -- said the Japanese government hasn't changed its position on the subject and so a summit would be useless.
"Perhaps it would be better not to have [a summit]. If they continue to say there is no need for an apology and no need to acknowledge their past wrongdoings, then what good would all this do?"
Park also said South Korea would remain vigilant against North Korean nuclear tests and nuclear intentions, as well as its military aggression.
Relation have been strained and the militaries in both countries -- still technically at war since a cease fire in 1953 divided the Korean Peninsula -- remain alert to transgressions across the demarcation line.
Over the past several years Pyongyang has carried out a nuclear test, launched a long-range rocket, restarted a nuclear reactor at Yongybyon and shelled a South Korean island, killing four people, including civilians.
Seoul also blames Pyongyang for sinking the South Korean patrol ship Cheonan in 2010, killing 46 sailors. North Korea denies it was involved.
Despite this, Park said the door remains ajar for a summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un if he is seen to make good his promises.
"We cannot repeat the vicious cycle of the past where North Korea's nuclear threats and provocations were met with rewards and coddling, and then followed by renewed provocations and threats," she said.
"We must sever that vicious cycle... otherwise North Korea will continue to advance its nuclear capability and we will come to a point where this situation will be even harder to crack."
Park, who is on an official visit to France, Britain and Belgium this week, arrived in Paris on Saturday where she said a meeting with Kim shouldn't be "simply for talks' sake" or a one-time event.
"We are ready to help North Korea. My position is that I can hold a meeting at any time if it is necessary for development in the South-North relations or peace on the Korean Peninsula," Park said in an interview, Yonhap News reported.
"However, I am going to refrain from holding talks simply for talks' sake or holding talks as a one-off event. What is most important is sincerity."
