Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se stepped up efforts Thursday to appease critics of a recent deal between South Korea and Japan on wartime sex slaves.
The government has come under fire since it reached a breakthrough agreement with Japan Monday aimed at ending a decades-long dispute over the so-called comfort women.
Under the deal, Japan admitted responsibility for the wartime brutality and offered reparations of 1 billion yen to the 46 surviving South Korean victims.
However, some of the victims and their supporters have accused the government of failing to obtain Japan’s acknowledgment of legal responsibility and rashly reaching the deal without consulting them.
Historians estimate that more than 200,000 women, mostly from Korea, were forced to work in front-line brothels for Japanese soldiers during World War II. Korea was under Japanese colonial rule from 1910-45.
“I am well aware that there are voices of regret,” Yun said during a meeting of ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers.
“Many of (the victims’) wishes have been directly or indirectly covered in the agreement, and any shortcomings will be made up for during its implementation.”
Yun stressed that time was an issue as the victims are dying one by one. Nine former comfort women died this year alone.
Japanese media have raised various allegations about the deal, claiming South Korea agreed to remove a statue symbolizing comfort women from outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul in exchange for the reparations.
Yun refuted the claims, saying the agreement is “not subject to arbitrary interpretations.”
The Foreign Ministry has urged Japan through diplomatic channels not to damage the spirit of the agreement, according to a government source who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
It has also used its Facebook page to refute the Japanese media reports.
South Korea never agreed to relocate the statue and the terms of the deal apply to both sides, the ministry said in a post.
In the agreement, Seoul promised a final and irreversible resolution of the dispute if Tokyo fulfills its responsibilities.
Critics have claimed the deal favors Japan.
“It is a reciprocal (condition) that applies to both sides, and clearly contains the message that Japan should also refrain from actions that violate the agreement,” the ministry said. (Yonhap)
