The statue of a South Korea "comfort woman" stands in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul.[Photo by Yoo Dae-gil = dbeorlf123@ajunews.com]
South Korea will finally provide cash compensation to former "comfort women" who were sexually enslaved by Japan's imperial army, officials said Thursday after Tokyo promised to transfer money.
The South's foreign ministry said each surviving victim would get about 100 million won (88,890 US dollars) while 20 million won will go to family members of the dead. The money will be paid in installments.
In December last year, South Korea and Japan reached a landmark deal in which Tokyo expressed an apology for atrocities during its colonial rule and agreed to launch a foundation dedicated to supporting the victims of sexual slavery. Japan promised to contribute one billion yen ($9.97 million) to a comfort women foundation launched in July.
Historians estimate that up to 200,000 women mostly from Korea were forced to work in front-line brothels for Japanese troops during World War II. Forty South Korean victims mostly in their late 80s are still alive.
Ties between Seoul and Tokyo have soured due to territorial and historical disputes. Many South Koreans still harbor deep resentment against Japan over its 1910-45 colonial rule, and Seoul wants Tokyo to make a sincere apology and make amends for past wrongdoings.
In a speech on August 15 to mark an end to Japan's colonial rule, however, South Koran President Park Geun-hye reduced Japan-related content to a mere one sentence that relations should be "remade toward a future-oriented one while looking squarely at history".
Many analysts saw her speech as an indication that Seoul may revise its rigid stance against Tokyo.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
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