By Kim Hyo-jin
Opposition parties ratcheted up their criticism of the Seoul-Tokyo deal over Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, Tuesday.
Lawmakers of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) and the minor opposition Justice Party lashed out at the government during an interpellation session for failing to address concerns of the victims.
Later that day, MPK floor leader Rep. Lee Jong-kul visited Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se to protest the deal.
Lee asked Yun to take responsibility for the deal, under which Korea agreed to discuss relocating the statue of a girl symbolizing the sex slavery victims from in front of the Japanese Embassy.
The protest came as the victims and activists are up in arms, saying the government failed to obtain Japan's acknowledgment of legal responsibility for the issue and rushed to sign the deal without proper consultation with the victims.
"Japan evaded its legal responsibilities while promising to provide 1 billion yen instead. It is not what the surviving victims count as a sincere apology," said Rep. Lee In-young of the MPK.
Agreeing with Lee, Rep. Nam In-soon argued that the government should not accept the money unless Tokyo comes up with a legal basis which clarifies Japan taking legal responsibility for its wartime atrocities.
Rep. Hong Ik-pyo argued that no progress was made in the deal.
"Although Tokyo conceded that its military authorities played a role in the sexual enslavement of the women, what should have been acknowledged was that it took part in the coerciveness," he said. "The Japanese government's offering compensation was also included in the plan to establish the 1995 Asian Women's Fund."
Lawmakers also raised questions about the process of striking the deal, criticizing the government's lack of communication with the victims and the National Assembly.
"The government skipped consultation with the victims and did not report the matter to the Assembly before making the deal final and irrevocable," Rep. You Seung-hee said, arguing that without the procedural legitimacy, the deal is invalid.
The ruling Saenuri Party boycotted the session held at the opposition's request. Gender Equality and Family Minister Kim Hee-jung was also absent.
South Korea and Japan reached a rare deal last month to settle with Japan over their wartime sex slavery, for which Japan apologized and contributed 1 billion yen ($8.29 million) to provide for the establishment of a foundation supporting the victims.
The government faced a strong backlash following the deal, under which it agreed to end the dispute once and for all.
Japanese media aggravated negative public sentiment by reporting that Seoul agreed to relocate the statue of the girl as a precondition for offering compensation.
In a recent poll conducted by JoongAng Ilbo on Dec. 29 and 30, 53.7 percent of 1,000 respondents are against the sex slavery deal while 35.6 percent said it was satisfactory.
Amid growing public criticism, MPK leader Moon Jae-in argued that the deal was invalid, calling it "political collusion." Floor leader Lee earlier said he would submit a motion to the National Assembly to dismiss the foreign minister and mount a nationwide protest campaign.
Opposition parties ratcheted up their criticism of the Seoul-Tokyo deal over Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, Tuesday.
Lawmakers of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) and the minor opposition Justice Party lashed out at the government during an interpellation session for failing to address concerns of the victims.
Later that day, MPK floor leader Rep. Lee Jong-kul visited Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se to protest the deal.
Lee asked Yun to take responsibility for the deal, under which Korea agreed to discuss relocating the statue of a girl symbolizing the sex slavery victims from in front of the Japanese Embassy.
The protest came as the victims and activists are up in arms, saying the government failed to obtain Japan's acknowledgment of legal responsibility for the issue and rushed to sign the deal without proper consultation with the victims.
"Japan evaded its legal responsibilities while promising to provide 1 billion yen instead. It is not what the surviving victims count as a sincere apology," said Rep. Lee In-young of the MPK.
Agreeing with Lee, Rep. Nam In-soon argued that the government should not accept the money unless Tokyo comes up with a legal basis which clarifies Japan taking legal responsibility for its wartime atrocities.
Rep. Hong Ik-pyo argued that no progress was made in the deal.
"Although Tokyo conceded that its military authorities played a role in the sexual enslavement of the women, what should have been acknowledged was that it took part in the coerciveness," he said. "The Japanese government's offering compensation was also included in the plan to establish the 1995 Asian Women's Fund."
Lawmakers also raised questions about the process of striking the deal, criticizing the government's lack of communication with the victims and the National Assembly.
"The government skipped consultation with the victims and did not report the matter to the Assembly before making the deal final and irrevocable," Rep. You Seung-hee said, arguing that without the procedural legitimacy, the deal is invalid.
The ruling Saenuri Party boycotted the session held at the opposition's request. Gender Equality and Family Minister Kim Hee-jung was also absent.
South Korea and Japan reached a rare deal last month to settle with Japan over their wartime sex slavery, for which Japan apologized and contributed 1 billion yen ($8.29 million) to provide for the establishment of a foundation supporting the victims.
The government faced a strong backlash following the deal, under which it agreed to end the dispute once and for all.
Japanese media aggravated negative public sentiment by reporting that Seoul agreed to relocate the statue of the girl as a precondition for offering compensation.
In a recent poll conducted by JoongAng Ilbo on Dec. 29 and 30, 53.7 percent of 1,000 respondents are against the sex slavery deal while 35.6 percent said it was satisfactory.
Amid growing public criticism, MPK leader Moon Jae-in argued that the deal was invalid, calling it "political collusion." Floor leader Lee earlier said he would submit a motion to the National Assembly to dismiss the foreign minister and mount a nationwide protest campaign.
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