Visiting South Korean opposition leader Park Geun Hye urged Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Wednesday to exercise leadership to resolve sticky bilateral issues over history and disputed territory.
Japan and South Korea are both striving for future-oriented bilateral relations, said Park, who heads South Korea's main opposition force, the Grand National Party. "But, unfortunately, there are hurdles such as the issues of Dokdo, (Yasukuni) shrine visits, (revisionist) schoolbooks and sex slaves," Park said.
The oldest daughter of the late South Korean President Park Chung Hee, Park is regarded as a leading opposition aspirant for the country's next presidential election, set for December 2008, according to recent opinion polls in South Korea.