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Female lawmakers on protest visit to Japan
Rep. Kim Hee-jung of the ruling Saenuri Party, second from left, answers questions from reporters before leaving for Japan to protest against some rightwing politicians for their remarks on former sex slaves during World War II, at Gimpo International Airport, Monday. From left are Reps. You Jee-young, Kim of the Saenuri Party; Rep. You Seung-hee of the main opposition Democratic Party; and Rep. Kim Hyun-sook of the Saenuri Party. / Yonhap
By Jun Ji-hye
By Jun Ji-hye
Four female lawmakers headed to Japan Monday to protest against its right-wing politicians for their remarks on former sex slaves during World War II.
Reps. Kim Hee-jung, You Jee-young and Kim Hyun-sook of the ruling Saenuri Party, and Rep. You Seung-hee of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) belong to the National Assembly Gender Equality and Family Committee.
They left for Tokyo to deliver letters of protest to Japanese politicians and civic groups during a three-day visit.
“Japanese politicians’ remorseless remarks have repeatedly come because the Japanese government has not properly reflected on their militaristic past. We will firmly ask for an apology and compensation for damage,” said DP lawmaker You.
An official from You’s office said, “Lawmakers will speak out about how strongly Korean citizens feel about Japanese right-wingers’ insensitive remarks about Japan’s past militarism and how urgently it needs to be fixed.”
He added lawmakers all agreed the matter needs to be solved through bipartisan efforts.
The relations between the two nations turned worse after Toru Hashimoto, the mayor of Osaka and co-leader of the nationalist Japan Restoration Party, attempted to justify Japan's use of sex slaves. Some politicians’ attempts to support his remarks further angered Korean citizens.
Hashimoto has earlier said: “Military brothels during World War II were necessary to relieve troops and maintain their discipline.”
During their visit, the legislators plan to meet Makiko Kikuta from the Democratic Party of Japan to discuss countermeasures against such controversial remarks. The Japanese politician has taken a leading role, along with other female lawmakers, in criticizing Hashimoto.
“Lawmakers will deliver a resolution that Rep. You submitted to the Assembly Friday to Japanese politicians including Kikuta,” said the official.
The resolution demands the Japanese administration and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe make an official apology to former sex slaves in the Asia Pacific region and offer compensation for damage. The official said the resolution has been translated into both Japanese and English.
After meeting with Kikuta, lawmakers plan to meet with Korean residents in Japan to discuss the issue.
Legislators will then board a flight for the Philippines after completing their schedule in Japan to meet surviving sex slave victims and Filipino lawmakers to draw up a coordinated response.