Shinzo Abe to defend 'comfort women' deal during Olympics

Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Tokyo confirmed Monday there are no plans to soften its stance on a 2015 "comfort women" agreement with South Korea during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's upcoming visit to the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Abe will meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in to ensure the deal will be honored as agreed with a previous South Korean administration, Yonhap reported.

The summit, Suga said, is to take place on Feb. 9, at a hotel near the main Olympic stadium.

"The agreement is a pledge between two countries. It is absolutely unacceptable for South Korea to unilaterally demand additional measures," Suga said.

Moon has called the deal flawed and has apologized to victims.

The agreement included a 1 billion yen contribution to a fund for the elderly victims who were forced to work in wartime brothels and an acknowledgement of their plight from Tokyo. Many criticized it for not reflecting the wishes of the victims.

Kyodo news agency reported concerns that North Korea may be driving Abe's decision to attend the Winter Games.

Suga said constraints against North Korea's nuclear development must continue.

"I think together [Japan and South Korea] will confirm there is a need to escalate pressure in all directions, in order to bring about change in North Korea policy," Suga said.

The Tokyo spokesman did not confirm whether a trilateral meeting with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will take place on the sidelines of the Olympics, according to Yonhap.

It is also unclear whether Abe plans to stay two days or more in South Korea.

Abe may advise Moon to raise pressure on North Korea, rather than ramping up engagement, which is the South Korean leader's hope following détente between Seoul and Pyongyang.

Abe may also raise the issue of evacuating 60,000 Japanese nationals from the South, a topic that deemed controversial in Seoul.