By Yi Whan-woo
Japan is stepping up its demand to remove a girl statute symbolizing its wartime sexual slavery after approving a plan to offer 1 billion yen ($9.9 million) to assist Korean victims, sources said Friday.
The provision of the money is in line with an agreement reached between the two countries, Dec. 28, to settle disputes over Tokyo’s wartime sexual slavery. Japanese officials say it is now Seoul’s turn to show commitment to the deal by removing the statue across the street from the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, the sources said.
For Japan, the removal of the statue has been considered a key issue in implementing the deal because it has irked many conservatives there.
They also claimed Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se promised to consult with related parties to settle conflicts about the statue “in a relevant manner” during the Dec. 28 agreement made with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.
Seoul has maintained that it cannot meddle in the issue over the statue because it was erected by civic activists and belongs to them.
“The ball is now in Korea’s court and it will solely depend on Seoul’s effort whether the agreement can be kept,” a senior Japanese official was quoted as saying by Kyodo News.
Former Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone reportedly urged his government to step up efforts to remove the statue, saying “Tokyo’s demands have not been met yet.”
Kishida demanded Yun make an effort to settle conflict over the statute “relevantly” during talks on the sidelines of a joint foreign ministerial meeting involving China in Tokyo, Wednesday.
Yasumasa Nagamine, Japan’s new ambassador to Korea, said he will try to carry out the Dec. 28 deal “faithfully” when asked about his viewpoint on the statue upon his arrival in Seoul, Thursday.
The Korean government has been under criticism from former sex slaves and their advocates amid speculation that it is shifting its stance in favor of Japan concerning the statue.
A senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited a need to discuss the possible removal of the statue for the implementation of the Dec. 28 agreement, according to the sources.
“It is becoming clear that the government has been lying regarding the agreement last year,” said Yoon Mi-hyang, the president of the Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan.
Meanwhile, Japan’s provision of the 1 billion yen also took a new turn as Seoul and Tokyo have remained poles apart on how the money should be used and whether such use should be interpreted as compensation or humanitarian assistance.
Japan was reportedly against Seoul’s decision to give 100 million won to each of the 46 surviving victims once Tokyo transfers the 1 billion yen. Seoul will also offer 20 million to each family member of victims who have already passed away while using the rest of the money for projects to help all victims.
Japanese conservatives claimed the money offered to victims can be misunderstood as compensation on legal grounds, which Tokyo has refused to offer.
Korea, however, claimed it will spend the 1 billion for the best interests of the victims.