U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tried to open the door to improved ties between Japan and South Korea during his visit here, but Seoul lobbed the ball back in Japan's court calling for a "more flexible approach", sources said. Tillerson met with South Korea's acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, on March 17 and conveyed his hopes for an early improvement in relations between the Asian powers, the sources said. He was particularly concerned about the estrangement in light of recent provocations by North Korea. Tillerson's remarks appeared intended to encourage South Korea to find some accommodation with Japan over a statue of a girl symbolizing Korean “comfort women” that was set up in front of the Japanese consulate-general in the southern port city of Busan.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tried to open the door to improved ties between Japan and South Korea during his visit here, but Seoul lobbed the ball back in Japan’s court calling for a “more flexible approach”, sources said. Tillerson met with South Korea’s acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, on March 17 and conveyed his hopes for an early improvement in relations between the Asian powers, the sources said. He was particularly concerned about the estrangement in light of recent provocations by North Korea. Tillerson’s remarks appeared intended to encourage South Korea to find some accommodation with Japan over a statue of a girl symbolizing Korean “comfort women” that was set up in front of the Japanese consulate-general in the southern port city of Busan.