During World War
Two, about 200,000 Asian women were forced to work as ‘comfort women’ – sex
slaves for Japanese soldiers in military brothels. Many were Korean, and today
Japan has agreed to apologise for its actions and pay compensation of £5.6
million to South Korea.
Japan has accepted
‘deep responsibility’ and the South Korean government says the deal will close
the matter. Both countries have agreed to stop criticising each other publicly
over the issue, and South Korea says it will look into removing a statue commemorating
the women, which activists had put up outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul.
It is not clear
whether the women will receive direct payments. The wording of the deal suggests
Japan will provide ‘support’ and finance ‘projects for recovering honour
and dignity and healing psychological wounds.’
Only 46 of the
Korean women are still alive. They have tended to regard earlier apologies from
Japan as grudging and insincere and they appear divided on this agreement, with
some wanting a direct apology to them as individuals and direct compensation.
