Suh Chung-won, a senior lawmaker of the ruling Saenuri Party, pressured Tokyo to uphold a 1993 landmark apology for Japan’s wartime enslavement of Asian women Thursday, stressing any step backward would further worsen the bilateral relationship.

During a meeting with Korean correspondents in Japan, Suh said that among many pending bilateral issues, what mattered the most was restoring the honor of Korean women who were forced into sexual slavery by Japan during World War II.

“Japan should again present a clear stance on upholding the Kono Statement,” he said in Tokyo. “Should any other words (that could challenge the statement) come out (of the Tokyo government), it will be difficult (to improve the bilateral ties).”

Suh, the head of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians’ Union, arrived in Japan on Wednesday, along with other South Korean lawmakers, for a three-day visit to help work toward improving relations, which have been strained due to territorial and historical feuds.

Following the press meeting, Suh was to hold a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during which he was to convey a message from President Park Geun-hye.

Suh’s remarks on the Kono Statement came amid concerns that the Abe government could move to discredit or water down the Kono Statement, in which then-Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono apologized to the victims of sexual slavery.

Tokyo carried out a controversial review of the apology last year. Following the review, Tokyo suggested the apology was the product of a political compromise between Seoul and Tokyo, challenging its credibility. Amid criticism from South Korea and China, Tokyo said it would keep the apology.

The content of Park’s message to Abe was not immediately known. But the message was expected to carry Park’s wish for the two sides to work together to forge a future-oriented partnership, particularly as this year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of their diplomatic relations.

Attention is focused on whether Suh, dubbed the “leader of the Pro-Park faction” in the ruling party, could forge a reconciliatory mood between the two countries to resolve a series of pending issues including the issue of a one-on-one summit between Park and Abe.

The two sides have not held any summit so far, although the leaders met in a three-way meeting last year that was brokered by U.S. President Barack Obama.

During her New Year’s address to the nation on Monday, Park called for a “shift in Japan’s stance” toward history. She reiterated that as the victims of sexual slavery were old, the comfort women issue should be addressed as soon as possible, or else would remain unresolved for good.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)