Sex slavery agreement in stalemate

The statue of a girl, a symbol of Korean sex slavery victims during World War II, stands in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap

By Kim Se-jeong

The landmark deal on the resolution of sex slavery by the Japanese military before and during World War II has made no meaningful progress since Dec. 28 when the Korean and Japanese governments reached the agreement.

One hundred days ago, foreign ministers of both countries reached a verbal agreement that Japan would pay to establish a foundation to take care of the survivors. Also, the two announced that the two governments will regard the issue as resolved finally and irreversibly.

However, few would agree the agreement has gone any further.

What happened last week between President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe confirmed the lack of progress. Meeting on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., the two leaders repeated that the agreement will be implemented as discussed.

Earlier, there was an exchange of criticisms after Japanese officials insisted at the United Nations that the brothels where almost 200,000 women were forced to provide sex were private and voluntarily run, again avoiding the Japanese military’s involvement in the brothels and its culpability.

Setting up the foundation is stalled, as related ministries keep repeating they are working on it without details about when and how it will be established.

A government official said earlier this year that the Korean government may partially pay the costs for the establishment of the foundation, which sparked public demands that Japan should pay all the expenses.

Relocation of a comfort woman statue in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, a symbol of the women’s plight, will be the thorniest issue. The Japanese wants it removed from the current, but the Korean government, faced with immovable civic groups, is in a difficult position.

Lee Myon-woo, a senior research fellow at the Sejong Institute, said he was surprised that nothing has progressed since the agreement.

“One reason (for such inaction) may be the provocations by North Korea which affected Asia earlier this year,” he said.

The Japanese studies expert said the upcoming general election could be another reason.

“It is lamentable that the political parties, especially opposition parties, are not looking into the issue seriously as an election campaign agenda,” he said. “Once the election is over, the two countries may reveal some details on how to implement the agreement. It is time for something to come out.”

In the meantime, civic groups supporting the former sex slaves have called for the agreement to be nullified.

The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan took some of the victims to the United States last month for an international campaign, meeting with Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations Secretary General who initially applauded the Korean and Japanese governments for landing the agreement.

Lawyers for a Democratic Society condemned the agreement and took the case to the Constitutional Court for review last week.