ROK confirms secret deal with Japan on sex slaves

Tokyo: Revising agreement over comfort women is unacceptable

SEOUL - The Republic of Korea on Wednesday confirmed the existence of a secret deal with Japan in the 2015 agreement between the two countries over the victims who were forced into sex enslavement for Japanese military brothels during World War II.

Then ROK government under ousted president Park Geun-hye agreed with the Japanese government led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to persuade ROK civic groups supporting the victims to accept the 2015 deal and agreed not to assist the erection of a so-called "girl statue" symbolizing the victims.

The secret deal was not made known to the general public when then foreign ministers of the two countries announced the agreement in Seoul on Dec 28, 2015, when it was reached, a task force team under ROK's foreign minister said in a 31-page report.

ROK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha apologized for the deal. "I apologize for giving wounds of the heart to the victims, their families, civil society that support them and all other people because the agreement failed to sufficiently reflect a victim-oriented approach, which is the universal standard in resolving human rights issues," Kang told a news conference.

Japan said on Wednesday any ROK attempt to revise the 2015 deal is unacceptable.

"If (Seoul) tries to revise the agreement that is already being implemented, that would make our relations unmanageable and it would be unacceptable," Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said in a statement.

According to the ROK report, Tokyo demanded Seoul persuade the advocacy groups for the victims to accept the agreement. The then-government pledged to make efforts to prod the groups into accepting Japan's demand.

The Japanese side also demanded the ROK not use the word "sex slave".

Comfort women euphemistically refers to the women who were kidnapped, coerced or duped into sexual servitude for Japan's Imperial Army during World War II. Historians say up to 200,000 girls and young women fell victim to the war crime against humanity.

The Japanese side also asked Seoul to remove the girl statue erected outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul. Park's government replied that it will make efforts to appropriately resolve that issue.

Surviving victims and peace activists have held rallies outside the Japanese embassy for more than two decades.

Under the 2015 deal, Seoul and Tokyo reached a "final and irreversible" agreement on comfort women issues. In return, Japan vowed to provide 1 billion yen ($9 million) for a foundation dedicated to supporting the victims.

The victims protested against it, saying the Japanese government had yet to take its legal responsibility and make a sincere apology for the wartime brutality, and demanded the annulment of the pact.

The new ROK government said the 2015 deal was not "emotionally" acceptable to the nation.

Xinhua - Reuters

(China Daily 12/28/2017 page12)