韩国政府对日本政要参拜靖国神社的行为提出严正抗议。[1]韩国外交部和国防部分别召见日本驻韩防卫驻在官和大使馆公使，表示这一举动与正视历史、构建互信的韩日关系背道而驰。[1]
8月15日，日本首相高市早苗以自民党总裁身份向靖国神社供奉"玉串料"，防卫大臣小泉进次郎等多名日本政客也参拜了该神社。[1]韩国国防部国际政策官金学朝召见日本驻韩防卫驻在官，对这一行为提出强烈抗议。[1]同时，韩国外交部亚太局局长李珉琼召见日本驻韩大使馆总括公使中条一夫提出严正抗议，对日本政要"遗忘历史、违背时代潮流之举"深感遗憾。[1]
8月15日既是日本无条件投降日，也是韩国光复节。[1]
South Korea's government has formally protested against Japanese political figures' visits to and offerings at Yasukuni Shrine, calling the actions contrary to historical accountability and the development of mutual trust between the two nations. [1] On August 15, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae presented an offering of "tamagushi" to the shrine in her capacity as chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, while Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro and other Japanese politicians also paid visits to the controversial site. [1]
In response, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense took separate diplomatic action. [1] Lee Min-kyung, director general of the Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau at the Foreign Ministry, summoned Nakajo Kazuo, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to lodge a formal protest. [1] Meanwhile, Kim Hak-jo, an official at the Ministry of Defense's International Policy division, called in Japan's defense attaché in Seoul to express strong objection to the visits. [1] A Foreign Ministry spokesperson expressed regret over what officials characterized as Japan's "forgetting history and going against the tide of the times." [1]
The timing of the visits is particularly sensitive, as August 15 marks both the anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender and South Korea's Liberation Day. [1]