By Kim Se-jeong
Financial support for 47 survivors of sex slavery committed by Japanese soldiers during World War II will be increased from next year, the government said, Monday.
The plan came in response to the recent news that the Ministry of Health and Welfare was considering having municipalities cut their budgets allocated for these women because local support programs duplicated the central government’s programs. The ministry has provided allowances to the women
The former sex slaves receive benefits in medical fees and housing. Separately from these, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which is mainly responsible for support of each victim, offers a monthly allowance.
For the monthly allowance, the government plans to increase it from 1.04 million won to 1.3 million won. Medical fee support will also rise from 42.7 million won per person this year to 45.43 million won next year.
The government will also spend 44.3 million won in payment for caregivers next year, up from this year’s 30 million won.
The government needs approval from the National Assembly which is now in session for the 2016 budget review.
Almost all 47 of the surviving victims are living in Korea. Among them, nine stay at a shelter in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, called House of Sharing, while others live in social housing units around the nation, or stay with their families.
Their average age is 89, and all have health problems requiring medical attention.
Ahn Shin-kwon, director of the House of Sharing, welcomed the increase, but said it still would not be enough.
“For example, one victim has lung cancer,” Ahn said. “The doctor prescribed a certain medicine, which worked well. She was also happy because it was covered by the government. Her doctor stopped the prescription temporarily because her condition improved, but when he prescribed the medicine again, she could not afford it anymore because that medicine was no longer covered and she couldn’t afford the almost 1.5 million won per month it costs.
“More help is great, but this will not solve her problem.”