South Korea's Betrayal of the "Comfort Women"
by K.J. NOH
Counterpunch
DECEMBER 31, 2015
On December 28th, 2015, the foreign ministers of Japan and Korea, suddenly and hastily announced a "resolution" to the "comfort women" issue, women trafficked and exploited as sexual slaves by the Japanese Army during WWII. This involved an apology by the Japanese prime minister, and the creation of fund for reparations.
Former comfort women and activist groups, however, rejected the agreement, calling it "a betrayal", "a travesty", and "a sham". Some of them wept openly. Opposition politicians demanded the resignation of the Korean Foreign Minister. Protests have broken out in Korea in front of the Japanese Embassy.
Why are the comfort women still unsatisfied? Global media is laudatory, and the US State department was quick to praise and promote it. On the surface it seems reasonable: a letter of apology with solatia/reparation. It's seventy years late, but better late than never? What more could the women want?
As Mr. Noh writes, to understand this issue, one needs to look a little deeper at the history. You will be surprised and shocked, if you have any decency of heart.
Please read the full article by K.J. Noh, in Counterpuch, here.