Unapologetic Abe 'reunites' rival Korea

In a rare display of political unity, South and North Korea yesterday both condemned Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for failing to apologise during a US visit for the wartime use of sexual slaves.

Their respective foreign ministries each issued statements criticising Abe for distorting history, with Pyongyang comparing the Japanese leader to "psychopaths" and "hooligans".

In a landmark address to a joint session of the US Congress, Abe expressed his "deep remorse" over Japan's actions towards neighbouring Asian nations during World War II.

But he stopped short of a full apology demanded by countries such as China and South Korea, especially over the forced recruitment of so-called "comfort women" to serve Japanese soldiers in military brothels.

"It is very regrettable that Japanese Prime Minister Abe's speech at the US Congress ... lacked a sincere apology," the South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement.

It argued that Abe had missed a golden chance for Japan to foster a fresh spirit of "true reconciliation" with its neighbours.

A North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said Abe's failure to offer a proper apology was an "intolerable" insult to the women who had suffered.

Historians estimate that around 200,000 Asian women, mainly from the Korean peninsula, were forced to work in Japanese military brothels.