Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA

 1. The government of the Republic of Korea cannot help but deplore and feel anger over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit on Thursday, December 26, to the Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies Japan’s history of colonial rule and war of aggression and enshrines war criminals despite continued concerns and warnings by neighboring countries and the international community.

2. The Yasukuni Shrine is an ahistorical facility which enshrines war criminals who cannot be forgiven, including Hideki Tojo, who brought the horrors of war to East Asia, and Kuniaki Koiso, who, as the Japanese Governor-General of Korea, inflicted immeasurable suffering and loss upon Koreans through various methods of exploitation, including conscription, forced labor and extortion.

3. Prime Minister Abe’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine clearly shows his erroneous perception of history. The visit is an anachronistic act that fundamentally undermines not only the ROK-Japan relations but also stability and cooperation in Northeast Asia.