By Kim Se-jeong
Lee Yong-soo, 89, one of the Korean sexual slave victims during World War II, said in New York City, Tuesday, that she will not accept the December verbal agreement between the Korean and Japanese governments.
“I cannot accept what the Korean and Japanese governments agreed to in December. That cannot be an agreement,” Lee said Tuesday in front of New York City Hall. “I am a victim of the atrocity. Japan is lying to the world. But Japan can’t hide the truth forever. Abe and other leaders should apologize officially and make reparations.”
She demanded an apology and compensation from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for crimes against almost 200,000 women.
Laurie Cumbo, one of New York City’s council members in charge of women’s issue who invited Lee to speak on International Women’s Day, expressed her and the city council’s support for the victims. The New York City Council is pushing for the passage of a resolution on sexual slavery in condemnation of Japan.
Cumbo said she would stand behind the victims in their demands that Japan should acknowledge its wartime crimes and make an apology for it.
Despite her support, it’s not clear whether the resolution will pass. In the U.S. taking action on an international issue is not the responsibility of the city but the federal government.
Lee flew with another victim Gil Yong-ok, 83, and other activists against the Japanese government, which denies its involvement in the recruitment of the women for Japanese troops.
Lee also spoke at the United Nations headquarters later that day at a press conference in celebration of International Women’s Day.
On Monday, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) stated the issue of sexual slavery was not resolved. The committee said in a statement that the agreement between Korea and Japan was far from taking the victim-centered approach.
The committee also warned Japanese politicians about disparaging statements about the former sex slaves, telling them to be cautious with their words. Last month, Japan’s deputy foreign minister Shinsuke Sugiyama stated Tokyo could not confirm that the government was behind these women and pushed them to sex slavery.
On Dec. 28 last year, Korean and Japanese government announced that they had come to a verbal agreement on the issue. According to the agreement, Japan will pay the Korean government to take care of the victims. And with that, the issue would be finally and irreversibly resolved, the two government announced, and none would take issue with it internationally.