According to diplomatic sources, Japan’s top envoy to South Korea has requested meetings with government officials to implement bilateral agreement on the wartime sex slavery issue. 

Ambassador Yasumasa Nagamine asked for meetings with South Korea’s top officials including Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, Defence Minister Han Min-koo and Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo. 

The request was believed to be made after the ambassador returned from Japan after he was recalled over the diplomatic friction over the girl statue built in front of its consulate last year in Busan.

The girl statue symbolises victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery of Korean women.
Tokyo has demanded its removal, stating that it’s against the agreement in 2015 that resolved the long dispute with Japan over forcing Korean women into front-line brothels during the Second World War.  

The agreement was made on 28 December 2015, where Tokyo apologised and agreed to provide one billion yen (US $8.9 million) to fund for the foundation aimed at reconciliation of the victims. 

“I will push to meet Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn and other key government officials here to make a strong demand for the enforcement of the deal,” Ambassador Yasumasa Nagamine said. 

However, the South Korean government has been reluctant to provide an alternative solution for the statue saying it is not under their authority as the statue was built by civic groups. 

Further, the South Korean government has decided not to accept Nagamine’s request as it is not in sync with the general diplomatic protocols.