'Comfort women' to be focus of talks

S. Korean leader says Japan must do its part for 'stable relationship'

South Korean President Park Geun-hye said the emotional issue of "comfort women", who were forced into prostitution at Japanese wartime brothels, would be central at this weekend's bilateral summit and is key to stable ties with Japan.

Park and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are set to hold their first two-way talks since taking office, an effort to mend ties chilled by what South Korea sees as repeated failures by leaders in Tokyo to properly atone for wartime atrocities.

In an interview published in the Asahi Shimbun daily on Friday, Park said efforts by Japan to resolve long-festering issues such as the "comfort women", as the women forced into prostitution are known, was needed for a "stable relationship".

"For that to happen, more than anything, some kind of progress on the important issue of victims of the Japanese military comfort women (system) is essential," Park was quoted as telling the Asahi in written replies to questions.

"I hope that this summit will be a chance to set a goal for a solution of this issue."

Japan says the matter of compensation for the women was settled under the 1965 treaty setting diplomatic relations. In addition, then-chief Cabinet secretary Yohei Kono apologized in a 1993 statement acknowledging authorities' involvement in coercing them.

In 1995, Japan created a fund to make payments to the women from donations and budgeted money for their welfare support. South Korea has said that was insufficient because it was not official.