<p>South Korea summoned the Japanese ambassador on Saturday over "undiplomatic" remarks about President Moon Jae-in and the possibility of a summit during the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, according to Seoul's foreign ministry.</p>.<p>A senior Japanese diplomat had reportedly ridiculed Moon's desire to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, describing the South Korean leader as "masturbating with himself".</p>.<p>The diplomat, who was not identified, added in the same interview with South Korean cable network JTBC that Moon was in a "tug of war only with himself" since Japan has "no space to pay attention to Seoul-Tokyo relations" at the moment.</p>.<p>The comments come as the two countries have reportedly been in talks over staging a top-level encounter during the Games to improve ties that have plunged to their worst level in years over historical disputes.</p>.<p>Following JTBC's report, the Japanese ambassador said it was his deputy Hirohisa Soma who had spoken the "highly inappropriate" words, though he did not confirm exactly what was said.</p>.<p>"While it is true that such terms were used during the conversation it was not directed at President Moon," Ambassador Koichi Aiboshi said in a statement.</p>.<p>"I have sternly warned Deputy Chief Soma," he added.</p>.<p>South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun called for punitive measures.</p>.<p>Such remarks "seriously denigrate" efforts to restore ties and "appropriate action should be taken", he told Aiboshi during their meeting, according to the foreign ministry.</p>.<p>Tokyo and Seoul are both major US allies, democracies and market economies, but relations between them are strained by ongoing disputes over compensation for Japan's early-20th century colonial rule over the Korean peninsula.</p>.<p>At a press conference earlier this month, Japan's leader reportedly acknowledged "very difficult" relations because of wartime issues, but said it was up to South Korea to respond to these matters.</p>
<p>South Korea summoned the Japanese ambassador on Saturday over "undiplomatic" remarks about President Moon Jae-in and the possibility of a summit during the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, according to Seoul's foreign ministry.</p>.<p>A senior Japanese diplomat had reportedly ridiculed Moon's desire to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, describing the South Korean leader as "masturbating with himself".</p>.<p>The diplomat, who was not identified, added in the same interview with South Korean cable network JTBC that Moon was in a "tug of war only with himself" since Japan has "no space to pay attention to Seoul-Tokyo relations" at the moment.</p>.<p>The comments come as the two countries have reportedly been in talks over staging a top-level encounter during the Games to improve ties that have plunged to their worst level in years over historical disputes.</p>.<p>Following JTBC's report, the Japanese ambassador said it was his deputy Hirohisa Soma who had spoken the "highly inappropriate" words, though he did not confirm exactly what was said.</p>.<p>"While it is true that such terms were used during the conversation it was not directed at President Moon," Ambassador Koichi Aiboshi said in a statement.</p>.<p>"I have sternly warned Deputy Chief Soma," he added.</p>.<p>South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun called for punitive measures.</p>.<p>Such remarks "seriously denigrate" efforts to restore ties and "appropriate action should be taken", he told Aiboshi during their meeting, according to the foreign ministry.</p>.<p>Tokyo and Seoul are both major US allies, democracies and market economies, but relations between them are strained by ongoing disputes over compensation for Japan's early-20th century colonial rule over the Korean peninsula.</p>.<p>At a press conference earlier this month, Japan's leader reportedly acknowledged "very difficult" relations because of wartime issues, but said it was up to South Korea to respond to these matters.</p>