Comfort women foundation launched amid protests

Kim Tae-hyeon, the inaugural head of the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation, moans in pain after being hit by liquid pepper spray thrown by a protester while exiting an opening ceremony for the foundation in Seoul, Thursday. / Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

A foundation dedicated to compensating the Korean victims of Japan’s wartime sex slavery was officially launched Thursday, facing strong protests from surviving victims and activist groups.

The organization will be funded by the Japanese government to the tune of 1 billion yen ($9.54 million), but the cash has yet to be transferred to Korea.

The establishment of the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation is based on a verbal agreement between the governments of South Korea and Japan, Dec. 28, to end their dispute over the sexual enslavement of Korean women before during World War II.

There are 40 surviving former “comfort women” in Korea, but they have called for nullification of the deal, saying the governments never asked for their opinion or understanding in advance.

The foundation is headed by Kim Tae-hyeon, an honorary social welfare professor at Sungshin Women’s University, and has 10 board members.

“The foundation was launched in accordance with the Korea-Japan agreement in December and in order to ensure Japan carries out its responsibilities,” said a foreign ministry official.

Since the agreement was reached last year, the two nations have disagreed over the removal of the statue of a girl symbolizing a comfort woman in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul. This has raised suspicions that Japan may not disburse the money unless Korea relocates the bronze statue.

However, the foundation chief rejected that speculation.

“According to the agreement, the 1 billion yen is one thing and the statue is another,” Kim said in a press conference.

“It is not true that Japan will only provide the money to the foundation if the statue is relocated.”

According to Japan’s Kyodo News Wednesday, Tokyo plans to provide the 1 billion yen to Korea in August regardless of whether the statue is removed.

“Japan initially said the release of its contribution is contingent on the statue’s removal but the sources said it is now inclined to swiftly release the money to bolster cooperation with South Korea following North Korea’s nuclear test in January and subsequent test-firing of banned ballistic missiles,” it said, citing anonymous sources.

If the money is transferred from Japan, the foundation plans to spend it on financial assistance for the surviving victims and commemoration for those who were forced to endure Japanese wartime sexual enslavement, according to the foreign ministry.

However, some Japanese news reports said Tokyo wants some of the money to be put toward scholarships for Korean students studying in Japan — a move to promote positive views of the country among young Koreans ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

“The purpose of the foundation is to heal the victims and recover their dignity,” the foundation chief said. “We will not repurpose it.”

Opening receives protests

The opening of the foundation was met with protests from a group of university students and social activists who accused Seoul of unilaterally agreeing to the settlement against the wishes of some of the surviving victims.

They claimed at least eight of the 40 surviving victims are against the foundation and its underlying agreement.

“We do not need money even if Japan gives us 10 billion yen,” said Kim Bok-dong, a surviving victim, in a media interview Monday. “The Korean government toppled our 20-year fight for a sincere apology from Japan overnight.”

Around 20 university students also clashed with police, delaying the press conference.

“The agreement does not satisfy everybody, but the government has done its best,” Kim Tae-hyeon said, adding that she had met with 37 of the 40 survivors, many of whom supported the foundation.

Following the press conference, a male protester doused Kim’s face with liquid pepper spray, causing her to go to hospital for treatment to her eyes.