We hear today,... that the Japanese government has transferred a 10-billion yen payment to
a foundation, established by Korea,... as part of the landmark deal on Japan's sexual
enslavement of Korean women before and during the second World War.
It's another step towards following through with the December 28th deal,... more on the
implementation process, and what's left,... here's Kwon Soa.
News of Japan having transferred 10 billion yen to Seoul on this Wednesday...
as part of a deal struck between Korea and Japan... for a more future-oriented relationship.
But, here in downtown Seoul... as they have for the 1,246th Wednesday for almost a quarter
of a century, this group of people remain unstirred.
Rain or shine, victims of Japan's wartime sex slavery system,... and civic groups,...
have been gathering in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul to raise their voice...
calling for a sincere apology.
But, a landmark agreement between Seoul and Tokyo was reached, in a bid to resolve the
issue.
" that's why Japan continuously demands the removal of the Pyeonghwabi, or "Statue of
Peace",... which represents and commemorates the so-called "comfort women".
More than two decades after the first victim of the Japanese military's wartime sex slavery
system came out with her painful story,...
Seoul and Tokyo's top diplomats shook hands,... on December 28th, 2015,... after a dozen working
level talks on resolving one of the most thorniest issues between the two countries.
"The issue "comfort women", was a matter which, with the involvement of the Japanese military
authorities at that time, severely injured the honor and dignity of a large number of
women."
"Under the premise that the Japanese government 'fully' implements the bilateral agreement,...
the Korean government confirms that the issue has been bilaterally settled finally and irreversibly."
Where does Japan stand at this point when it comes to "fully" implementing what was
agreed back in December?
One of Japan's key promises in the deal was the sum of 10 billion yen, or roughly 9 million
U.S. dollars intended to help heal the wounds of the victims.
As agreed,...
Seoul established a foundation,... which was launched seven months after the deal,... while
Tokyo gave the green light to the 10 billion yen payment,... transferring the amount to
the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation on this Wednesday.
Roughly 80 percent of the money will be given in cash.
The surviving victims will receive around 90-thousand U.S. dollars each,... while 18-thousand
will be distributed to the families of the deceased victims.
There's been some ambiguity on the nature of the money.
While the victims want concrete compensation,...meaning that Tokyo takes clear legal responsibility
to its past wrongdoings,...
Japanese officials claim the fund is being given on humanitarian grounds.
"Japan's claim is correct, making the Korean government and the foundation's claims that
this should be seen as monetary compensation illogical."
That's why some say the money is not much different from the Asian Women's Fund,...
through which the Japanese government and the public provided donations to Korean and
other Asian "comfort women" in the 1990s,... but this professor says otherwise.
"This time the fund comes entirely from the Japanese government.
I think of it,... and we must think of it as compensation,... it's what the Korean government
had initially requested."
Apart from the debate on whether the money is 'compensation or not',...experts also say,...
the ambiguity of the agreement leaves room for different interpretations by Japanese
politicians and opinion leaders; some could take the transfer of the 10 billion yen as
a channel for Japan to clear itself from past atrocities once and for all.
"If you carefully read the actual letters of the agreement on December 28th, there's
no question the transfer of the fund from the national budget of the Japanese government
constitutes a very important part of the agreement to be fulfilled, but that's not the end of
the story.
The Japanese government should continue to do all the necessary measures to restore the
honor and dignity of all surviving victims of the wartime sex slavery in Korea."
This,... especially so,... for the victims to acknowledge Japan's sincerity.
Lee Ok-seon,... one of the ten surviving victims at the 'House of Sharing' in Gwangju, south
of Seoul,...hoping for more efforts on behalf of the Japanese government.
"We wish for an apology.
The apology will eventually lead to a compensation."
"Whose apology?"
"The person in charge of Japan, who else?
I don't have long to live.
So I don't think I will be able to receive an apology before I die."
89-point-4 is the average age of the victims of the Imperial Japanese military's sexual
enforcement of women before and during World War II.
"Eight months after Seoul and Tokyo reached the landmark deal, opinions still differ.
What IS changing is the number of surviving victims -- 46, as of December 28th last year
-- 40, today.
Kwon Soa, Arirang News."