South Korean and Japanese officials in charge of delicate talks on Tokyo's wartime sexual enslavement of Korean women will meet in Seoul later Tuesday, ahead of next week's summit between the leaders of the two countries, a diplomatic source said.

Kimihiro Ishikane, director-general of the Japanese foreign ministry's Asian and Oceanian affairs bureau, is visiting Seoul to attend a forum on ways to promote peace and stability in Northeast Asia.

He is Japan's new point man on Korea, serving as chief negotiator in discussions with Seoul on the so-called "comfort women" issue. He is also Japan's chief delegate to the now-suspended six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program.

Lee Sang-duk, director-general of the South Korean foreign ministry's Northeast Asian bureau, plans to hold an "introductory meeting" with him, the source said, adding that the comfort women issue is expected to be discussed.

The timing is drawing keen attention. President Park Geun-hye of South Korea has offered to hold her first summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Nov. 2 on the sidelines of a trilateral summit also involving Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

Japan has not responded yet as Seoul and Tokyo are apparently staging a war of nerves over key agenda items. Abe's trip to South Korea next week seems guaranteed but his itinerary remains unconfirmed.

Park wants Abe to clarify his view on the comfort women issue, while Abe hopes for a summit with no preconditions attached, multiple media reports said.

South Koreans regard the conservative Japanese leader as reluctant to apologize for Japan's atrocities during World War II.

Around 200,000 Korean and other nations' women were forced into sexual servitude for Japanese troops.

Japan's major daily Yomiuri Shimbun reported that "the South Korean side demanded Prime Minister Abe express his position on the comfort women issue while staying in Seoul. But Japan showed disapproval."

South Korea then proposed a half-hour summit without a luncheon, it added. (Yonhap)