SOUTH Korea formally protested today against Tokyo’s review of a landmark 1993 apology to Korean women forced to work as wartime sex slaves in Japanese military brothels.

First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong told Japanese ambassador Bessho Koro that Tokyo was trying to undermine its own apology when the history behind the issue of “comfort women” was recognised internationally.

“Japan must understand that the more the Abe government tries to undermine the Kono statement, the more its credibility and international reputation will suffer,” Mr Cho said.