South Korean Prime Minister Offers Condolences on Death of Yohei Kono, Cites 1993 Comfort Women Apology
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok expressed condolences Thursday after Yohei Kono died Monday at age 89. Kono issued the 1993 apology acknowledging the forced mobilization of comfort women.
YonhapPrime Minister Kim Min-seok offered condolences Thursday over the death of Yohei Kono, the Japanese politician who issued the 1993 apology acknowledging the forced mobilization of comfort women during World War II. Kono died Monday at age 89. He had served as chief cabinet secretary and speaker of the House of Representatives, Yonhap reported.
Kim posted the statement on X, formerly Twitter. "I express my sincere condolences and wish for the healthy development of South Korea-Japan relations," he wrote. " Kono issued the apology as chief cabinet secretary in 1993.
The statement acknowledged that women from Korea and other Asian nations were coerced into sexual servitude at Japanese military brothels. " Kono's son is Taro Kono, former Japanese Foreign Minister. Reports of the death cited the office of Taro Kono, Yonhap reported.
The article was published June 11, 2026, from Seoul.
