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Pres. Moon apologizes for ‘comfort women’ deal with Japan

Pres. Moon apologizes for ‘comfort women’ deal with Japan

Posted January. 05, 2018 09:32,   

Updated January. 05, 2018 09:50

한국어

President Moon Jae-in apologized Thursday for the “comfort women” deal that was signed by the former Park Geun-hye administration. “I apologize for the agreement that does not consider the views of the victims,” he said. It is the first time that President Moon has officially apologized for the agreement.

President Moon invited eight victims who had been forced to work in wartime brothels, to a luncheon at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. “The agreement not only goes against the principles of truth and justice, but it was also pushed ahead unilaterally by the government without considering the views of the victims,” he said. “The content and process were all inappropriate.”

Prior to the event, President Moon also paid a visit to Kim Bok-dong, a 92 year-old victim who is currently hospitalized at the Severance Hospital in Seoul. “The agreement still stands as a fact. The issue has to be resolved in consideration of bilateral relations, which makes it challenging,” he told Kim. His comment refers to the difficult situation where Korea has to restore relations whilst Japan has ruled out possibility of negotiations or scrapping of the deal.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa said in a radio interview, “Everything (including the scrapping of the deal) is possible. But the decision should be made after fully considering the implications.”



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