Defense Minister Kihara: ”Domestic issue” regarding Yasukuni Shrine visit, ”opinion unchanged” = Korean media

Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, who visited Yasukuni Shrine for the first time in three years as the current defense minister, said on the 27th, "This is purely a domestic issue, and my opinion has not changed."
According to Kyodo News, at a regular press conference on the same day, Defense Minister Kihara stated that he had received criticism from South Korea regarding his visit to Yasukuni Shrine on the 15th.
He spoke about the government's regrets. Defense Minister Minoru Kihara revealed that when he visited the shrine, he used the keynote as "Minister of Defense Minoru Kihara" and said, "The reason I use my current title in the keynote is because of my position.
"It is natural to join hands and offer condolences to those who have sacrificed their precious lives," he said.
In response, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "We cannot help but deplore this anachronistic act," and "This is a tragic act of aggression by a foreign country."
"We will make it clear that this is an issue that will never gain the understanding of neighboring countries with a long history."