By Seo Soo-min
Staff Reporter
South Korea on Friday urged Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to halt visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine where Japanese war criminals from World War II and colonialists are memorialized.

``On behalf of our government, I convey an official regret to you for Prime Minister Koizumi’s Yasukuni Shrine visit,’’ Yoon Young-kwan , Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister told Toshiyuki Takano, the Japanese Ambassador to Seoul. ``For the sake of the future of the two countries’ relationship and in order not to hurt Korean national sentiment, our government strongly hopes that the prime minister will not visit the shrine again.’’

Yoon called in Takano to protest Koizumi’s surprise visit to Yasukuni Thursday. It was Koizumi’s fourth visit to the shrine since he took office. It marks the first time Seoul directly expressed a wish for a Japanese head of state to stop making visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, moves seen as honoring Japan’s militaristic past invasions of Korea and other Asian neighbors.

In response, Takano said his government remains apologetic for the pain it caused Korea in the past, which was stated by former prime minister Tomiichi Murayama in 1995 and stressed that South Korea remains one of the most important countries for Japan.

``Ambassador Takano said Japan has unchanged feelings of `deep remorse and heartfelt apology’ for Korea and other Asian countries,’’ said Chung Sang-ki, director-general of Asia-Pacific Affairs Bureau, in a briefing.

``As for the alternative facility for war criminals, the Japanese ambassador said his government is reviewing relevant reports submitted by its ministries,’’ Chung said.

The foreign minister pointed out Koizumi’s visit came in addition to Japan’s failure to fulfill a promise made during a meeting with former President Kim Dae-jung in 2001 to build a separate facility excluding war criminals.

The government had originally planned to send Ambassador to Tokyo Cho Se-hyung on a protest visit to Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi but dropped the plan, considering that Japan has its New Year holiday through Sunday and the Japanese foreign minister is scheduled to go on an overseas visit Jan. 5.

Seoul officials also considered Tokyo’s important role in the success of the six-party talks over North’s nuclear programs in deciding the nature of their response to Koizumi’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine.

ssm@koreatimes.co.kr