South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun on Wednesday implicitly criticized Tokyo's moves to amend the pacifist Constitution, saying Japan's hope of becoming an "ordinary country" doesn't have to entail a military buildup.
"If Japan aspires to become an 'ordinary country' and even a 'leading nation of the world,' it should try to earn the trust of the international community by acting in conformity with universal standards for conscience and decency rather than seeking to amend laws and reinforcing its military power," Roh said.
His remarks came in a speech in Seoul to mark the 87th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement.
Roh strongly criticized Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine.