慰安婦判決、韓国外相に抗議　茂木氏「考えられぬ異常事態」

　茂木敏充外相は９日、元慰安婦訴訟で日本政府に賠償を命じた韓国地裁判決を受け、韓国の康京和外相に電話で抗議した。茂木氏はこの後、訪問先のブラジルからオンライン形式で記者会見し、「国際法上も２国間関係上も、到底考えられない異常事態が発生した。極めて遺憾だ」と述べた。
　茂木氏は、康氏に「国際法上の『主権免除』の原則を否定し、原告の訴えを認める判決を出したことは、断じて受け入れられない」と伝え、速やかに適切な措置を講じるよう求めた。これに対し、康氏は韓国側の立場を説明し、「冷静な対応が必要だ」と応じたという。（2021/01/09-10:22）

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi lodged a protest with his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, via telephone on Saturday over a Seoul court's order for the Japanese government to pay compensation to former "comfort women."
   Speaking in an online news conference later, Motegi, on a visit to Brazil, condemned the South Korean court ruling as an "unimaginably unusual development under international law and in the bilateral relationship."
   According to Motegi, he told Kang that the ruling is absolutely unacceptable as it ignored the principle of sovereign immunity under international law.
   The Japanese foreign chief urged Kang to take appropriate action on the matter. The South Korean minister explained her country's position and called for a calm response.
   "There are growing concerns that the ruling could rapidly worsen the bilateral situation," Motegi stressed in the news conference.