SEOUL — A foundation to support former comfort women was established by the South Korean government on Thursday based on a bilateral deal reached between the Japanese and South Korean governments late last year.
The Reconciliation and Healing Foundation will make payments to support former comfort women based on funding of ¥1 billion to be contributed by the Japanese government as early as in August.
Both governments have entered a new phase to materialize the “final and irreversible resolution” of the so-called comfort women issue as stipulated in the accord.
Kim Tae Hyeon, an honorary professor at Sungshin Women’s University, was inaugurated as chair of the foundation. She had also served as chair of a preparatory committee to set up the foundation. Ten members were to be installed as directors, including a scholar on Japanese affairs, a former diplomat, a lawyer and government officials.
The first meeting of the members was held in Seoul on Thursday morning and an office was opened in a privately owned building.
The foundation is planning to make payments, which could be characterized as “healing money,” to former comfort women as a means of helping them to support themselves or providing for their welfare, in accordance with their current living conditions.
Among the 238 former comfort women who have been recognized by the South Korean government, 40 are still alive. Payments will be made to families of the deceased as well.
The Asian Women’s Fund, which was set up in 1995 and has made payments of ¥2 million as “atonement” to each former comfort woman, was mainly based on contributions from the public.
Meanwhile, the bilateral deal stipulated that with regard to the foundation, “the Government of Japan will now take measures to heal the psychological wounds of all former comfort women through its budget.”
Regarding issues pertaining to property and claims between the two countries, it was clearly stated in the Japan-Republic of Korea Claims Settlement and Economic Cooperation Agreement of 1965 that they had been settled “completely and finally.” Accordingly, both governments have acknowledged that payments to be made to support former comfort women cannot be regarded as “compensation” in legal terms.
Protesters storm in
University students and others protested around the building where the members of the foundation held the inaugural meeting on Thursday morning. About 10 protesters stormed in during Kim’s press conference, pushing past the policemen on guard and screaming, “The ¥1 billion is not needed,” or “Protect the statue of the girl.”
After the press conference, Kim was splashed with an unknown liquid by a man waiting outside, before being taken to a hospital in an ambulance.
Japan seeks removal of statue
The Japanese government intends to continue urging the South Korean government to remove the statue of a girl symbolizing comfort women from in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference Thursday that “it is important for both governments to implement the accord responsibly.” Regarding the removal of the statue, he only said, “The South Korean government will handle it properly.”
Shotaro Yachi, secretary general of the National Security Secretariat, has been talking with the Korean side behind scenes with regard to the timing of providing the fund to the foundation and the details of its projects. The two governments will soon hold a director-level meeting of foreign ministry officials to finalize arrangements.
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