Ministry of Foreign Affairs "deeply disappointed and sorry for the visit to Japanese Cabinet Shrine and the offering of tributes."

The government expressed regret over Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's offering to Yasukuni shrine, where Class A war criminals from the Pacific War are enshrined.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is deeply disappointed and regretful that Japan's responsible leaders have repeatedly offered tributes or visited Yasukuni shrine, which glorified Japan's past war of aggression and included war criminals.

He added that he urged the responsible leaders of Japan's new cabinet to face up to history and show humbling reflection and genuine reflection on past history in action.

He also stressed that such actions are an important foundation for building future-oriented relations between Korea and Japan based on trust between the two countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, did not directly mention the fact that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had paid tribute.