President Roh Moo-hyun said that he wants to visit a war museum in the controversial shrine in Tokyo as a symbolic gesture against the temple, which honors high-profile war criminals. The Yasukuni Shrine has been the cause of much bitterness between the two governments.
President Roh made the comments while meeting with visiting former Japanese prime minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and former chief cabinet secretary Yasuo Fukuda at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday. Roh said he wants to tour Yushukan, a war museum inside the Yasukuni Shrine, which displays war mementos and weapons that date back to the Sino-Japanese War.
The Korean leader said Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to the temple hinder the two countries' bilateral ties. He was quoted as saying he wants to show the Japanese people why Korea is against Tokyo officials paying homage to convicted World War II criminals.
Fukuda said ˇ°revolutionary measuresˇ± are necessary to resolve simmering rows over history, explaining he was talking about hands-on action by the Korean president. Japan's World War II defeat ended its 36-year colonization of Korea.
Bilateral ties have improved since then, but comments by Japanese officials including visits to the martial shrine continue to strain relations. While Korea wants Tokyo to atone for its military aggressions, the Japanese government claims it has done everything it can.
Chosun