A Korean American group in Los Angeles is joining protesters in Seoul who are denouncing an agreement between Japan and South Korea over the comfort women controversy.
Meanwhile a vocal critic of the Japanese government’s handling of the comfort women is throwing his support to the agreement.
The Japanese government agreed to set aside $8.3 million dollar for 46 surviving sex slaves. They are some of the 200,000 women who historians say were forced into slavery by the Japanese imperial army during WWII.
“This issue can’t be resolved without the voices of the victims being heard,” Yoon Mee-hyang, head of the Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan said to the Korea Times. “But, the negotiations took place only between the two governments. We will continue to campaign and explain why the agreement is invalid.”
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The Korean American Forum of Los Angeles told KPCC that it agrees with the protesters who are affectionately known as Grandmas.
They want an apology from the entire Japanese government, not just from an individual.
“The reason why the Grandmas have been still demanding an apology was because there was never a cabinet-approved apology,” said Phyllis Kim of the Korean American Forum. “It was always an individual apology from individual prime ministers from time to time.”
Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) threw his support to the agreement, but not without reservation.
“Today’s joint agreement by the Republic of Korea and Japan on the issue of the “comfort woman,” is far from perfect; but it is indeed, an historic milestone, a step in the right direction, and one which I sincerely hope, will finally restore the dignity and honor of the 200,000 girls and women who were sexually enslaved during World War II,” said Honda.
“I am deeply disappointed this agreement lacks a commitment by Japan to ensure they will no longer whitewash history and educate future generations. At the same time, I am hopeful in the promise that Japan will be held accountable to implementing the agreement according to the spirit of its principles- in the eyes of Korea, the global community, and most importantly, the survivors.”
