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S.Korea's wartime sex slavery victims refuse to receive Japan's reparation

Xinhua, January 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

South Korea's wartime sex slavery victims on Wednesday refused to receive reparations from the Japanese government, calling the Seoul-Tokyo agreement on the war crime a "nullification."

Six South Korean victims in their late 80s and early 90s joined so-called Wednesday rally that has been held every Wednesday for more than 20 years to call for Japan's sincere apology and proper compensation for the war crime.

About 800 supporters and advocates for the victims also participated in Wednesday's rally, according to police estimate.

The rally was held around a "girl statue" standing in front of Japanese Embassy in Seoul. The statue, erected in 2011 with funds donated by citizens, describes a teenage girl forcibly conscripted and raped by Japanese soldiers during World War II.

The six victims told a press conference that they strongly oppose the Seoul-Tokyo agreement reached on Dec. 28, 2015. Foreign ministers of the two nations reached a final and irreversible agreement on the comfort women, a euphemism for women forcibly recruited to serve in Japan's military brothels during the devastating war.

Japan vowed to offer 1 billion yen (about 8.3 million U.S. dollars) with government coffers to help South Korea set up an assistance fund for the victims. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivered his message of apology and remorse"from his heart"to the wartime sex slavery victims.

In return for those action and word, South Korea pledged a final and irreversible agreement on the war crime and promised to refrain from criticizing Japan in the international society.

Kim Bok-Dong, 90, one of the six victims joining the rally, said that"we will not receive that money"Japan vowed to offer, noting that she will take part in another foundation, which local civic groups are preparing to set up for the comfort women victims separately from the Japan-funded foundation.

Participants described the Seoul-Tokyo agreement as "nullification,"calling for the South Korean government to re-negotiate the deal on the issue to reflect Japan's legal responsibility and legal compensation for the war crime.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye sought to ease anger of the victims, telling the nationally televised speech to people that all the negotiations have a limitation in reality. She stressed the timely urgency of the issue given that only 46 victims with an average age of 89 are alive. Last year, nine victims passed away due to their old age.

According to the government's survey and meeting with the victims, former South Korean comfort women called for three points, including Japan's acknowledgement of its military's involvement in the wartime crime, the Japan's government's official apology and the compensation from Japan's government coffers, which are reflected in the Dec. 28 agreement, Park said. Endit