By Kim Bo-eun
Another controversy has erupted over the recently established foundation for former wartime sex slaves, after the Korean government decided to pay operational costs for the organization.
The Reconciliation and Healing Foundation, dedicated to compensating the Korean victims of Japan’s sex slavery during World War II, was founded last week to carry out the agreement reached between the Korean and Japanese governments last December.
The two governments agreed to put the issue to rest with Japan providing 1 billion yen (10.7 billion won) in compensation funds to Korea.
The foundation was set up to decide how the funds will be spent, but the 1 billion yen has not yet been transferred.
An official from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, in charge of the comfort women issue, confirmed Tuesday the government’s stance that the entire 1 billion yen from the Japanese government will go to the victims and other operating expenses will be covered by the Korean government.
This has brought criticism from activists over why the Korean government should bear any financial burden while Japan is responsible for the wartime atrocities. Until the opening ceremony on July 28, foundation officials had not announced who will cover the operating costs.
The official said, “The foundation board suggested spending the 1 billion yen exclusively on the victims, as the nature of the fund is (for the Japanese government) to apologize and repent (for its atrocities), and the Korean government agreed.”
The foundation’s operational costs will include a security deposit of 20 million won for renting office space, monthly rent of 3.3 million won and 3 million won in expenses for office furnishings and supplies.
But the Korean government has yet to provide anything, as “budget details need to be discussed with the finance ministry.” So, the foundation’s office is being managed “on credit,” with the rent and deposit not yet having been paid, according to the gender ministry.
The organization also needed money to get approval for its foundation, and this was covered by a personal donation of 1 million won from the foundation head, Kim Tae-hyeon.
On why the foundation was set up hastily without the necessary funds, the official said, “Setting up the foundation was a precondition for the Japanese government to provide the 1 billion yen in the December agreement.”
It is also unclear when the Japanese government will provide the 1 billion yen, as the December agreement did not specify when the provision would be made.
There is discord over the issue of the comfort woman statue in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul as well as the nature of the fund.
The Japanese government has been discontented with the symbolic bronze statue, and has been imploring the Korean government to remove it. The agreement does not explicitly require the statue to be removed, but states that “the Korean government will make an effort to resolve the issue.”
There are speculations that the 1 billion yen may not be provided until the statue is removed, but the foundation head denied this at a press conference last week.
The ministry official said, “Because the agreement was made with the Japanese government, and this is an issue based on trust between the two governments, the payment is expected to be made soon.”
The nature of the fund, which was initially understood as official compensation from the Japanese government for its atrocities, later became murky after Japanese media reported that it was perceived differently in Japan.
The point of contention is whether the fund is to be provided as compensation for wrongdoings or simply as a donation.
Meanwhile, many of the 40 surviving victims have refused to accept the December agreement and the subsequent establishment of the foundation, stating that the Japanese government did not take legal culpability for its atrocities.