S. Korea urges Abe to inherit right historical perception

SEOUL - South Korean President Park Geun-hye urged Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday to inherit the right perception of history shown in statements issued by previous governments.

The Abe statement, which is expected to be made on the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War II, is anticipated to lay great foundation for a forward-looking future between South Korea and Japan by "clearly reaffirming" historical perceptions shown in previous statements, Park said during her meeting with Katsuya Okada, head of Japan's main opposition Democratic Party.

Park referred to the Kono and Murayama statements, Japan's official apologies in 1993 and 1995 each for the past war of aggression and the colonization of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

Okada, who took office as the party chief in January, picked Seoul as the first destination for his overseas trip, the South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.

Park met with Okada along with four other Japanese lawmakers and Japanese ambassador to South Korea.