HONG KONG — South Korea said Tuesday that it would not undo a 2015 agreement with Japan to shelve a longtime dispute over women who were forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese military during World War II.

The agreement has been criticized in South Korea, where many people don’t believe that Japan has fully made amends for its wartime legacy.

Under the 2015 accord, Japan apologized and promised to pay $8.8 million for care for survivors. The deal was reached by the government of President Park Geun-hye, who was impeached in 2016 after months of turmoil and street protests. She was formally removed from office in March 2017 and is now facing charges of corruption and abuse of power.

A panel appointed by the government of her successor, President Moon Jae-in, found the government had failed to represent the victims fully when it reached the deal by not having Japan take “legal’’ responsibility and provide official reparations.

That created an opportunity for Moon to back out of the agreement, but at the risk of upending South Korea’s relationship with Japan at a time when the countries are united in confronting North Korea over its weapons programs. The United States, the biggest ally of South Korea and Japan, had praised the 2015 agreement, saying cooperation between the two major Asian democracies was important for regional stability.

ASSOCIATED PRESS