South Korea's National Assembly is expected to adopt a resolution next week to denounce Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for paying his respects at a war shrine in what was seen as an attempt to glorify the country's militaristic past.

Leaders of the ruling Saenuri and the main opposition Democratic parties called in unison Friday for an anti-Abe resolution after the Japanese leader paid homage at Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine that honors the country's war dead, including class A war criminals.

South Korea and China, which suffered from Japan's aggression in the early 20th century, have long resented Japanese leaders visiting the shrine, and Thursday's visit was considered flagrant disrespect for the neighbors.

Abe was the first Japanese prime minister to visit the shrine in more than seven years.

Seoul and Beijing have strongly condemned the visit.

"The National Assembly should adopt a resolution to denounce Prime Minister Abe for his silly act, together with the other peoples in Northeast Asia," ruling party floor leader Choi Kyoung-hwan said, adding that Abe stands to lose more than he will gain from his nationalistic actions.

Choi's opposition counterpart, Jun Byung-hun, proposed that the National Assembly adopt an anti-Abe resolution on Monday, saying Abe's visit to the shrine represents a provocation against peace in Northeast Asia and demanding that the Japanese government apologize. (Yonhap News)