<Anchor> A

statue of a woman comforting and apologizing for the statue of a girl was installed in a private botanical garden in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do. The Japanese government expressed strong displeasure when the Japanese press reported that a man kneeling symbolized Prime Minister Abe.

Reporter Cho Jae-geun.

<Reporter>

A girl in a hanbok sits on a tree stump, and a middle-aged man in a formal suit kneels down, bows her hands on the ground and bows down in front.

It has been released to the public by the Korean Native Botanical Garden since June and has been given the name "Eternal Atonement."

The Botanical Garden said that although it was created in hopes of a sincere apology from Japan on the issue of comfort women, male figures did not necessarily represent an individual named "Abe".

[Kim Chang-ryul/Director of the Korean Native Botanical Garden: I do not symbolize Abe as a natural person, but I want someone who can be responsible to apologize. That person could be Abe, and then he could be in charge again.]


Japanese media such as the Sankei Shimbun and Kyodo News immediately responded to the sculpture.

A quote from the Korean media reported that a botanical garden in Korea installed a statue that mimics Abe's apology.

[Suga/Japan Minister of Defense: I don't think such a thing is allowed by international rituals. If the report is true, it will have a decisive effect on the Korea-Japan relationship.] In

response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it is necessary to consider international customs and courtesy for foreign leaders.

The Botanical Garden said it would cancel the opening ceremony of the sculpture scheduled for next month after the controversy date, but has no plans to dismantle it.

(Video coverage: Heo Chun)