Abe rejects apology letter for comfort women victims

By Kang Seung-woo

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday that his Cabinet was not considering issuing a letter of apology to Korean “comfort women.”

“Both countries are required to sincerely fulfill the content of our agreement, and an apology letter is not included in those contents,” Abe told the Lower House Budget Committee, according to Japan’s Kyodo News.

In December, Korea and Japan reached a “final and irreversible” verbal agreement to end their dispute over the sexual enslavement of Korean women before and during World War II.

Abe’s rejection came as there are some calls from Japan as well as Korea for the premier to send a personal apology letter to the victims.

In addition Seoul’s foreign ministry also said last week the government expects the Japanese side to take additional emotional measures to console the victims’ wounds.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who negotiated the deal with his Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se, backed up Abe at the committee, dismissing the idea of any additional measures.

Last week, he also said there is no agreement whatsoever about additional measures in the comfort women deal.