Korea, Japan reach a deal on the comfort women issue

It has been confirmed that the proposal of establishing a foundation led by the Korean government and funded by Japan was the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae`s idea. The suggestion is based on the thought that the issue can only be solved by embracing not only the victims but also all relative organizations.

A foreign ministry official said on Monday, “The idea had already gained a consensus early this year under the perspective that a foundation is needed for relative advocacy groups to operate more effectively towards resolving the issue.” President Park Geun-hye has been urging that the agreement should be “acceptable by the victims,” referring not just to the 46 alive women but also to all related organizations.

For over two decades since the comfort women issue was first revealed in 1991, support groups represented by the Korean Council for Comfort Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan has been leading the movement to attract international attention to the issue. If a foundation joined by all support groups is established, it will take care of providing medical services and health care for the victims.

During the 2010 negotiations on the same issue, a plan for the Japanese government to pay 3 million yen per victim as a compensation had been included. It is expected that some of the 1 billion yen budget, which will be provided by the Japanese government upon Monday’s agreement, will go to the victims while specific plans are yet to be set.

shcho@donga.com