South Korea will officially protest on Monday the Japanese prime minister's latest denial of Japan having forced women into sex slavery during World War II, the Korea Herald said.

The South Korean government will express concern about the Japanese prime minister's remark during the Korea-Japan strategic talks between South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Cho Jung-pyo and his Japanese counterpart Shotaro Yachivice on Monday, the daily newspaper quoted unnamed South Korean official as saying.

The two sides will discuss issues including the implementation of the six-party accord on DPRK's nuclear programs reached in Beijing on Feb. 13 as well as bilateral relationship during the meeting in Tokyo, it said.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe triggered fury across Asia on March 1 by saying there was no proof Asian women were forced into prostitution.

About 200,000 women from Korea, China and other Asian countries were forced to serve as sex slaves for the Japanese Imperial Army during the war, historians estimate.

Editor: Yan