2 SKorean ex-sex slaves demand direct apology from Japan PM

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By MARI YAMAGUCHI

TOKYO (AP) — Two elderly South Korean women abused by Japan's wartime military-run brothel system are in Japan to reject a recent settlement agreement between the two governments and demand that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe give them a face-to-face apology and formal compensation.

Lee Ok-sun, 88, and Kang Il-chul, 87, told reporters Tuesday that the agreement neglected the victims' feelings and was "wrong."

They are among tens of thousands of Asian women sexually abused in Japan's military-run brothel system during World War II. Lee and Kang were forcibly sent to China when they were teenagers in the early 1940s and could not return to their homes until decades later.

Lee and Kang said neither government had asked their opinion ahead of the agreement, which they said was a clear sign they were disregarded. They noted that Abe had not directly apologized to them in his own words, and that Japan stated that its pledge in the agreement to set up a fund was not compensation but for humanitarian purposes.

FULL story at link.


Kang Il-chul, a South Korean woman abused by Japan's wartime military-run brothel system, cries as she speaks at a press conference in Tokyo, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016. Two South Korean women, Kang, 87, and Lee Ok-sun, 88, are in Japan to reject a recent settlement agreement between the two governments and demand that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe give them a face-to-face apology and formal compensation. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/1ff2a3125bd347288ce70b11e0f8e35e/2-skorean-ex-sex-slaves-demand-direct-apology-japan-pm

[FLPanhandle]

1. I always wondered why they didn't just apologize?

Would it open them up for a flood of lawsuits as an apology would mean an admission of guilt?

Do they just want to put this episode behind them and think an apology would create more media attention?

Maybe the Japanese people feel they were also victims of the Imperial military government and are shouldn't apologize for them?

Are they just not sorry?


I tend to think in this world of litigation, that's it's probably more about lawsuits, but that's just a guess.

[metalbot]

9. Are you under the impression that they haven't apologized?

The Japanese government has apologized repeatedly, to many countries in Asia. There's no apology that could be given that would make amends, so what's the point of continually demanding one?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_war_apology_statements_issued_by_Japan

[secondwind]

2. There is nothing that anyone can do to erase the horror that these women went through.

[closeupready]

12. Their lives were destroyed by the violent abuse they endured.

Can you imagine the trauma and pain, both psychological and physical? The scarring?

[houston16revival]

3. A lot of governments would like for this issue to go away

The author of this book used to have a website with excerpts I think.
It's long out of print.


http://www.amazon.com/Love-Sex-War-Changing-1939-45/dp/0330292706

[davidpdx]

8. I think even to some degree the Korean Government would like the issue to go away

given that the president is a conservative.

[Feeling the Bern]

4. This topic is the next screenplay I will be researching for my production company in HKG

This will not be fun research at all, except for being back in Korea for a while. Korea is fun.

[davidpdx]

6. Hey let me know when you are coming over

If you are in the Seoul area we can go out for dinner and drinks. I'd enjoy hearing about your documentaries first hand.

[Feeling the Bern]

7. We have a movie there already in pre-production. I will be there in a little while

I wrote it.

PM me

[davidpdx]

5. Japan should do it

Considering the actual victims were never consulted by either government (both of which have conservative presidents).

[Feeling the Bern]

10. Well, knowing Rhee Syngman, he would have blamed the victims

And every president since, including Lee Myung Bush, would have ignored them. Lee Myung Bush would have demanded their souls for Jesus before he ignored them even more.

South Korea has not treated its wartime forced "comfort women" with any dignity. It was a damn shame when I lived there.