S Korea says it won't seek to renegotiate 'comfort women' deal with Japan

@Samit

You really do remind me of many Koreans whom I interacted back in mid-90s.

The young generation in SK probably knows very little about reparations to the tune of almost 1 billion US $ received from Japan in 1965 by Park Chung Hee

They do. Korea has an excellent history education and Korean kids know why the Japanese Empire lost the war than Japanese children do.

Yeah, I can tell.  If Korea has an excellent history education, I'm sure they teach a simple fact that Korea was under Japanese occupation for 35yrs and fought against Allied powers along with Japan during WW2, so I'm interested to hear how does Korea teach their children about "Japanese Empire (along with current ROK and NK) lost the war"?

I don't know why Japan nor SK do not bring this up when negotiating for more comfort women reparations.

Because it wasn't an aid, but simply the return of Korean owned bank savings and assets left behind in Japan.

I'd assume you get this idea from Korean education, otherwise, you should have known better it was Japan who lost all of savings and assets left behind Korea by 1965 treaty.  The nature of reparations and what they were sent for are readily available on the net.  If Korea wants to negate the personal compensation as a whole, then you have to also negate 1965 treaty which means Korea has to return so much debts plus interest left behind Korea during the annexation period.

Though this unfortunate incident should be put in history books of both nations

It is on Korean history textbooks, while Abe deleted it from Japanese history textbooks.

I'm sure Korean textbook is but only after 1998.  Does Korean text book mentioned anything about the personal compensation was included in 1965 treaty but Korean gov spent it away and this information was kept secret until 2005 while CW dispute was fully penetrated across the world?  There is nothing to delete in JP textbook because it never was a issue until Korea decided to revise the history by turning "War-time prostitute" into "Sex slavery".

I hope that the SK government and public move on to fix what's wrong now.

The only way they would move away from this is if they defeated Japan in a war and settled it on their own term.

Even though you seem to be so eager to engage in battle with Japan, this is very unrealistic approach.  The fundamental problem of Comfort Women issue is that both nations neglected to conduct the factual background investigations for what actually happened and instead took political actions/gestures to cope with the situation.  In that sense, we all have to go back and evaluate the credibility of CW testimonies because these testimonies are all Korea has while every historical records and investigation indicated that CW women were nothing but prostitutes.

So much good can come to both countries if the South stops harping about the matter

Actually it is the other way around. So much good can come to Japan if Japan acknowledged its past mistakes and vowed to never to repeat it again.

Japan did acknowledge its past mistakes and vow to never to repeat it again, so how is it the other way around?

At this point, Japan will burn in defeat if this dispute is to be settled by war, because Japanese forgot why they lost the WW2 and are repeating the mistakes from the past while Koreans remember why Japan lost and will duplicate the war scenario to ensure Japan's defeat.

You make it sound as if Korea defeated Japan during WW2.  You really need to get out of Korean fantasy.

@Samit,

Keep it up with your comments based on Korean education! I wish you post some citations based on your claims. It seems like an interesting read. Hopefully, you can posts some that are in English. Thanks.

@Matt Hartwell

The U.N has about as much moral authority and respectability as Kim Jong-un.

They both have more moral authority than Abe san.

If countries want to host comfort women statues, that's up to them

Indeed. Japan should stay out.

but obviously they should expect some blow back, diplomatically and from Japan Inc

Japan is pretty irrelevant in 21st century. This is why even the Philippines put up its own comfort women statues ignoring Japan's threats of economic retaliations.

I really don't think its at all effective in getting Japan to do more or in rubbishing Japan's stature in the world.

If the comfort women statues did nothing, then you wouldn't see Japan going ballistic whenever new one goes up around the world.

Might have 450k active soldiers

650K active duty soldiers.

South Korea is the same as Japan

Korea is not the same as Japan. Why? Because its offensive destructive capability, with 10,000 ballisitc and cruise missiles, and 2500 howitzers able to fire 100 km range extended shells is far far superior to Japan.

Also, keep in mind that it is widely known that Japan possesses the ability to develop nuclear weapons relatively quickly.

So? Everybody can build nukes fast and easy. Beside, nukes are useless when conventionally attacked; Japan cannot use nukes even if it has been pounded to ruins by 10K ROK missiles.

As you state, there are some very right wing people in Japan.

The problem is that Japan is not a democracy, but an oligarchy ruled by few elites, and the masses just obey the elites unconditionally.

You really want to see any of these scenarios play out for events that took place almost 80 years ago?

That scenario can repeat, but reversed.

It is now the ROK that has as much firepower as the old Imperial Japanese Army. Japan itself is a deficient pacifist with a deficient military. Does Japan really want to pick fights against the ROK? In fact Japanese government doesn't.

Japanese government has ruled that the preemptive military actions on the Liancourt Rocks and the Kurile Islands were constitutional even under the Article 9 because they claimed those were Japanese territories and Japan was taking military actions to recover them. And Japan was this close to taking a full scale naval war against the ROK in 2006. In this decade, the policy changed and Abe administration declared that Japan would renounce the use of military actions to recover those islands. Why, because Abe was pacificst? Nope, but because SDF ran simulations and concluded that Japan would come out worse if it went to war with the ROK or Russia. Instead of gaining territories, Japan would lose Tushima and the parts of Kushu to the ROK with a near 100% certainty.

to South Korea, not so much.

I will give you some examples.

Korea has its own triple layer $20 billion missile defense system called KAMD covering the entire nation. Japan relies on US missile defense and has decided to buy $2.5 billion Aegis Ashore that leaves gaping holes in defense of Japan

Korea has begun the program of constructing 6 nuclear submarines after Trump-Moon agreement earlier this year. Japan has no plans for nuclear submarines.

Korea's stealth fighter is in construction and will role out in 2021. Japan abandoned its F-3 fighter program citing budget problems.

Korea gets to command the USFK after the opcon transfer in 2020. Japan doesn't even dream of commanding the USFJ, ever. 

I too could not have imagined the current state of affair between Japan and Korea just 10 years ago. How times fly by fast.

Koreans both North and South just want to attract the attentions of other countries like a child.  Ignoring is the best way.

Tom KwonJan. 10 04:09 pm JST

"no intention of changing the deal even by a millimeter"

It seems Abe is the Scrooge or Shylock of Asia! I guess the victims have no choice but to accept Japan's non-apology~

Total nonsense. A Prime Ministerial apology was issued, money was paid all in accordance with the 2015 Agreement. 74% of the surviving Comfort Women are satisfied with the Apology and the money. That the Moon administration even raised the issue but ended up maintaining the Agreement is evidence that this is all an internal South Korean political issue. Nothing more.

Its South Korea that refuses to let the issue go. That is entirely obvious the world over.

Exactly. Just like israel harping on endlessly about the holocaust. Reparations were paid. Time to drop it and move on. ( I hope you've realized my point)

"no intention of changing the deal even by a millimeter"

It seems Abe is the Scrooge or Shylock of Asia!  I guess the victims have no choice but to accept Japan's non-apology~

Japanese Ruling Party Politicians,supporters and Racists with sexism are repeating

"Comfort woman issue is fiction"

"Comfort woman is Koreans‘ fabrication"

Those cause anger.

And watch the comfort women documents enlisted at UNESCO.

And watch the UN HRC demand Japan apologize to comfort women.

And watch new comfort women statues erected in New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, London, and Paris.

The U.N has about as much moral authority and respectability as Kim Jong-un. It is an utterly broken organisation in need of major reformation. I thought Australia joining the Human Rights Council was kind of ridiculous given the member states already present, including China and some very nasty African regimes. If countries want to host comfort women statues, that's up to them, but obviously they should expect some blow back, diplomatically and from Japan Inc and I really don't think its at all effective in getting Japan to do more or in rubbishing Japan's stature in the world. 99.9% of people do not care about some statues in a park somewhere. That's just how people are wired. S.K has been doing this a long time and Japan keeps getting more tourism and Japan Inc has $11 trillion stashed so its not working out too well.

The most discussed scenario is Great Tokyo Firebombing. The ROK has over 10,000 ballistic and cruise missiles able to disarm North Korea in 3 days. Same missile force could be turned toward Tokyo and eliminate the Prime Minister's office, Japanese defense ministry, and all major SDF bases in a day. The ROK calls this capability "The Sea of Fire without nukes".

May be true. I have not studied that scenario. I don't fancy South Korea's chances of survival either. Might have 450k active soldiers, but it only has 40 million people. The U.S has 320 million, Japan 120 million. South Korea is the same as Japan, a country very easily attacked by any sort of naval force. A tiny country surrounded by water. Also, keep in mind that it is widely known that Japan possesses the ability to develop nuclear weapons relatively quickly. They will take that option if necessary. As you state, there are some very right wing people in Japan. You really want to see any of these scenarios play out for events that took place almost 80 years ago?

Japan is a declining power and a defense freeloader to the US.

Declining power? In relation to China, sure, to South Korea, not so much. Declining population absolutely. But militarily they are getting stronger all the time and not the freeloader they once were given recent and expected U.S equipment buys.

Because Japanese rightwingers like Abe won't let the past go.

You sound a hell of lot more right wing than anything I've heard come out of Abe's mouth. Its South Korea that refuses to let the issue go. That is entirely obvious the world over.

@Samit Basu Today 03:27 am JST

I said "should", Samit. I recognize the world gets extremely biased over the point of comfort women that they allow Korea to break rule after rule, which I consider very sad and an utter violation of the rule of law principle.

As far as I'm concerned, the priority here should not be on a "fact" dispute, but on the erroneous and dangerous principle of "law" expounded by SK which says they should be allowed to break agreements with wild abandon.

@Matt Hartwell

Japan can just keep saying "not interested".

And watch the comfort women documents enlisted at UNESCO.

And watch the UN HRC demand Japan apologize to comfort women.

And watch new comfort women statues erected in New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, London, and Paris.

That scenario, in part, including the fact the U.S dropped atomic bombs?

The most discussed scenario is Great Tokyo Firebombing. The ROK has over 10,000 ballistic and cruise missiles able to disarm North Korea in 3 days. Same missile force could be turned toward Tokyo and eliminate the Prime Minister's office, Japanese defense ministry, and all major SDF bases in a day. The ROK calls this capability "The Sea of Fire without nukes".

If I was South Korean, I would not be confident in any way that the U.S would not come to the aid of Japan over South Korea

Oh, the US will stay out. Why? Because the triggering event would be the Liancourt Naval War, which was this close to happening in as recently as in 2006.

Of course, Japanese government has since run analysis and concluded that it was not possible to come out of the Liancourt War victorious and Japan would come out worse, because Tsushima and part of Kyushu were deemed indefensible against the ROK marines and renounced the resolution of the Liancourt Rocks disputes by military means, but you never know when Japanese rightwing politicians go nuts and go for a military solution again.

Economically and military, its previous obvious which one is going to be the better long term ally and which one has greater international clout and it isn't South Korea.

The ROK. Why? Because the ROK is the rising power and has the biggest army of the free world.(Yup, the ROK Army(490K active troops) is bigger than the US Army(450K active troops)) Japan is a declining power and a defense freeloader to the US.

Why can't people move on?

Because Japanese rightwingers like Abe won't let the past go.

If we use as a mantra the name of a feminist book "our bodies[:] ourselves", maybe there is no reparation that can sufficiently heal the women forced into sex slavery--in any war. Or, for that matter the child soldiers and adult ones too. Those of us who did not suffer like this during wars we lived through; but (as Thich Nhat Han wrote) were kept safe and "pure" despite the cosmic interrelationship with far off women whom war and its economics forced into prostitution in Vietnam (for example)--we may find it hard to imagine what a "hell" war is. While it would be good to decide legally whether to legalize the SDF or not, I hope if Japan DOES legitimate that in the Constitution, it will not cease to teach us to TRY to imagine war as it is. Only with such realism, can we make decisions for the future about military build-ups that are true to life. That then may be the best healing we poor humans have to offer for the victims of war--future prevention and going alternative ways.

Its not over. This speech makes it obvious. But that's ok. Japan can just keep saying "not interested".

At this point, Japan will burn in defeat if this dispute is to be settled by war, because Japanese forgot why they lost the WW2 and are repeating the mistakes from the past while Koreans remember why Japan lost and will duplicate the war scenario to ensure Japan's defeat.

That scenario, in part, including the fact the U.S dropped atomic bombs? So you're saying that the U.S does that again or South Korea does it? Because in terms of manpower, South Korea could not overrun Japan. If I was South Korean, I would not be confident in any way that the U.S would not come to the aid of Japan over South Korea, especially if North Korea still has the bomb and if South Korea is perceived to be allowing them to "get away with it". In fact that gives the U.S the perfect excuse to kick things off.

Economically and military, its previous obvious which one is going to be the better long term ally and which one has greater international clout and it isn't South Korea.

Why can't people move on? How much better could the economies of Japan & South Korea be if they decided to shake hands. Are there any adults in the room?

@gubijin

The young generation in SK probably knows very little about reparations to the tune of almost 1 billion US $ received from Japan in 1965 by Park Chung Hee

They do. Korea has an excellent history education and Korean kids know why the Japanese Empire lost the war than Japanese children do.

I don't know why Japan nor SK do not bring this up when negotiating for more comfort women reparations.

Because it wasn't an aid, but simply the return of Korean owned bank savings and assets left behind in Japan.

Though this unfortunate incident should be put in history books of both nations

It is on Korean history textbooks, while Abe deleted it from Japanese history textbooks.

I hope that the SK government and public move on to fix what's wrong now.

The only way they would move away from this is if they defeated Japan in a war and settled it on their own term.

So much good can come to both countries if the South stops harping about the matter

Actually it is the other way around. So much good can come to Japan if Japan acknowledged its past mistakes and vowed to never to repeat it again.

At this point, Japan will burn in defeat if this dispute is to be settled by war, because Japanese forgot why they lost the WW2 and are repeating the mistakes from the past while Koreans remember why Japan lost and will duplicate the war scenario to ensure Japan's defeat.

The young generation in SK probably knows very little about reparations to the tune of almost 1 billion US $ received from Japan in 1965 by Park Chung Hee, the dictator president of SK at the time. Though some it was in low interest loans, SK was able to build their economy as they know it now with help from the U.S. as well. This became known in the early 2000's. I don't know why Japan nor SK do not bring this up when negotiating for more comfort women reparations. Though this unfortunate incident should be put in history books of both nations, I hope that the SK government and public move on to fix what's wrong now. Deal with NK and their nukes, work out mutually beneficial trade deals since the U.S. is now in a hopeless situation. So much good can come to both countries if the South stops harping about the matter, and placing more statues everywhere.

@YuriOtani

Second the Japanese nation should not help defend the southern faction (Republic of Korea) in the ongoing Korean civil war. 

You clearly don't get it, do you? Korea DOES NOT WANT ANY JAPANESE "HELP". If Japan decided to "help" what they will be getting is Korean SAM missiles and anti-ship missiles heading SDF's way.

 The comfort women issue is nothing more than a bat to beat Japan.

A useful bat to beat on Japan for the next 1,000 years.

While I agree that the Japanese haven’t really done enough to repent for the issue insofar as all apologies have been personal apologies by politicians rather than something put into law, an agreement was negotiated and agreed to by South Korea, and now they are reneging without any attempt at renegotiating. So as far as I’m concerned, they bear as much responsibility for this issue not being resolved as Japan.

It is time for Japan to stop talking with the Republic of Korea. It is clearly a waste of time and money. Second the Japanese nation should not help defend the southern faction (Republic of Korea) in the ongoing Korean civil war. The comfort women issue is nothing more than a bat to beat Japan.

@Kazuaki Shimazaki

 then the world should place its priority on condemning South Korea for its inability to keep to an agreement

The world condemns Japan, not Korea. The UN HRC already found Japan's actions insufficient and demanded that Japan admit the forced conscription of comfort women and apologize last year(A year after the comfort women agreement), Japan denied the forced conscription of comfort women to UN HRC.

So by igonoring this agreement and redoubling its efforts on promoting comfort women causes, like making a full state backing on the enlisting of the comfort women document collection at UNESCO, Korea achieves its objectives.

@Samit Basu Jan. 9  08:10 pm JST

What do you think the FM just said? Korea won't honor this agreement. It is dead; the Korean government will refund Japan and act as this agreement never existed.

If that's indeed what they are doing, then the world should place its priority on condemning South Korea for its inability to keep to an agreement that by objective measure is favorable to them.

Forget about it. S. Korean Government is playing politic with comfort women problem.

@Dango Bong

why dont you give Japan all the money back you agreed to take in exchange to put the issue to rest?

That's what the Korean Foreign Minister announced; the full 1 billion yen is in an escrow account addressed to Japanese government. She was asking to which account Japanese government wants the refund sent.

The second part of announcement is that Korea won't abide by the terms of of the agreement, it is good as dead.

@wolfpack

Well Moon got elected by lying that the ‘final resolution’ agreement could be renegotiated.

Moon advocated for the termination of agreement and this is his version of termination. Japanese government will be refunded, and Korea will not abide by the terms of agreement.

dcog9065

Interesting term used to describe young women forced into sex with Japanese military personnel "prostitutes"

Well Moon got elected by lying that the ‘final resolution’ agreement could be renegotiated. Now the admission that it was a lie and it’s time to move on - Mission accomplished.

South Korea is once again the bigger man, though they are naive in thinking they can get a sincere apology from ultra nationalistic revisionists who spent their entire life denying and whitewashing history.

"The 2015 agreement, which failed to reflect the victims' opinions, cannot be a genuine solution to the issue of comfort women", Kang told a news conference.

This sounds to me like the Korean govt are leaving the door open to rinse Japan for a few more yen in the future. Can a permanent solution to this not be found by these two modern developed nations?

Give it a couple of years, then it's back to square one and it's back on the table.

 now remove those god awful statues from in front of the Japanese embassies and consulates.

No. These must remain to serve as a reminder. 

Yes, the statues in front of the embassy and consulate have to go. Put them somewhere it has a real meaning dedicated to remembering the past, to not let it happen again (by any country or organization). Otherwise they are just more political bullstuff.

Unfortunately, there are too many extreme left-wingers and NK sympathizers in SK where it's impossible to erase anti-Japanese sentiments for good. When they constantly uses comfort women issue as a political tool to sway the public's attention from even bigger problems/threats (China and NK), it's no wonder majority of Koreans feel the need to hold grudges against Japanese.

When will, in person a island leader go there and say sorry.....different times, but

historycly speaking we learned from the mainland.

why dont you give Japan all the money back you agreed to take in exchange to put the issue to rest?

49 alive and statues for LDP to remember where they have been

holyholly

When they are gone, will this issue end?

No, Korea will be demanding apology from Japan in the Year 2500 if the issue hasn't been settled by war before then.

@letsberealistic

What do you suggest? They've given lots of won to the SK government, yet nothing has changed. How many are still alive? When they are gone, will this issue end?

@quercetum

We won’t renegotiate the deal

Korea won't honor it and act as if the deal doesn't exist.

This means periodic demands for Japan's apology, new comfort women statues, diplomatic war at UN, etc.

we won’t put up any more statues.

Actually the announcement means the continuation of new comfort women statues.

We won’t renegotiate the deal and we won’t put up any more statues. If you want, we can also take down the statues. One billion each. Proceeds to the victims.

@Brian Wheway

Question, has the 1 billion yen been handed out yet or is it still in a holding fund?

About 60% of it was distributed. The ROK government will put the 1 billion yen into an escrow account and ask Japan how they want to receive the money back.

@joyridingonthetitanic

"now remove those god awful statues from in front of the Japanese embassies and consulates."

What do you think the FM just said? Korea won't honor this agreement. The statues will stay in front of Japanese embassy and consulate until the end of time.

"SK this is your chance to show Japan that you too are sincere in your actions and wish to settle the matter once and for all and instruct foreign protesters to stop putting them up also!"

The FM said the agreement is dead in practice. They have no intention of keeping it.

@wtfjapan

The proof of the pudding will be whether South Korea really moves on

What do you think the FM just said? Korea won't honor this agreement. It is dead; the Korean government will refund Japan and act as this agreement never existed. This is why the foreign minister just demanded that Japan apologize to comfort women. Why? Because there is no agreement.

.... until next election...

 it would OFFER to do more for these poor women and their legacy than throw money at them and hope they go away. Where is the humanity?

Disgraceful.

Shhhhh. Sound reasoning coupled with deep empathy is not permitted here.

"Comfort Women" !!!!

Don't you mean Rape victims.........

The stiff lip of Kono will not go down well with the people across the strait. The time wasted on this one issue is already very unique between neighbours, as there are only 47 women left living. On top the missing human touch is rather on the dark site of the G20.

 now remove those god awful statues from in front of the Japanese embassies and consulates.

No. These must remain to serve as a reminder. Never again.

I found an interesting opinion in Korean newspaper 朝鮮日報 THE CHOSUNILBO on Jan. 7. The opinion was contributed by 朴晟希 Ewha Womans University professor. She says the Korean government is always talking about the past and they do not talk about their policies of the future. The professor quoted Aristotle's classification of people - politicians talk about the future while it is the role of the jurisdiction that examines the past and hand out sentences. She said sarcastically Korean politicians are ignorant about Aristotle's classifications.

Brilliant, now remove those god awful statues from in front of the Japanese embassies and consulates. SK this is your chance to show Japan that you too are sincere in your actions and wish to settle the matter once and for all

Japan has repeatedly demomstrated that it is not sincere by its actions.

and instruct foreign protesters to stop putting them up also!

SK has no control over non-South Koreans.

This is something I wasn't expecting. Good stuff!

It's a step in the right direction. The proof of the pudding will be whether South Korea really moves on, or if another political group seeks to exploit the situation by bringing it up again.

if one Korean government cant accept the agreements / laws that the previous government put in place, what does that say about the credibility of Koreas democratic process..........hold on that sounds very familiar!?

It seems to me that next new president would not agree about this as long as Japan is there.

South Korea says this now, but just how long it lasts nobody knows.

Brilliant, now remove those god awful statues from in front of the Japanese embassies and consulates. SK this is your chance to show Japan that you too are sincere in your actions and wish to settle the matter once and for all and instruct foreign protesters to stop putting them up also!

However, I suspect that while today they say they wish to adhere to the settlement in about a years time, or when an election is due it will raise its ugly head once again!

"Seoul will set aside its own budget to bankroll the fund and consult with Tokyo on what to do with the 1 billion yen it had given"

Question, has the 1 billion yen been handed out yet or is it still in a holding fund? if its stilling held back, time is not on the side of these ladies, its about time it was handed out.

This is the smartest decision SK has made in its entire national history. Now it is time to move on. But can SK? Judging by their constant poor form, I give them 2 months before we start hearing whingeing noises about their prostitutes again

Finally....everybody may not be singing in tune, but at least we are all on the same song sheet now.

Seems like Moon is trying to solve a lot of problems. Good luck. I mean in a positive way.