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In an attempt to resolve the so-called "comfort women" issue, civic groups from the two Koreas
will meet soon to discuss ways to counter Japan's denial of its wartime crimes.
Hwang Sung-hee has the details. In a rare show of cooperation, civic groups from the
two Koreas will seek ways to demand Japan issue an official apology for its wartime
*** enslavement of women in the early 20th century.
The Seoul-based Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military *** Slavery by Japan
said Thursday that it will meet with a North Korean civic group at the end of this month
in the Chinese city of Shenyang. Around 200-thousand women, mostly Korean,
were forced to serve the Japanese military during the Second World War, and many are
still waiting for a heartfelt apology from Japan.
The planned conference will be the first time in eight years for the Koreas put their heads
together on the matter. An official at Seoul's Unification Ministry
said the South Korean civic group proposed to counter Japan's ongoing denial of its wartime
crimes together and that the North agreed. Twenty-four South Koreans, including one survivor
of Japan's military *** slavery, will meet 10 North Korean representatives.
Meanwhile, a diplomatic source said Wednesday that a Japanese government official met with
a human rights activist taking care of the Korean victims for the first time last week
in Seoul. The Japanese government initially asked to
meet with the comfort women to determine their demands ahead of a government-level meeting
between Seoul and Tokyo next month. The Japanese official reportedly said Tokyo
wants to resolve the diplomatic feud, stressing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe showed his sincerity
about the matter by stating his willingness to uphold Japan's landmark 1993 apology to
the comfort women. In response, the South Korean activist urged
Japan to acknowledge Tokyo's legal responsibility for forcing the victims into *** slavery.
The activist also said the Japanese leader should apologize to the victims on the international
stage. Hwang Sung-hee, Arirang News.