"Comfort Women Hasty Negotiation, Beginning of Park Geun-hye Regime's Fall
Should Be a Lesson Learned"
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, fiercely criticized the government's upcoming announcement on the 'third-party compensation plan' for victims of forced labor under Japanese colonial rule on the 6th, calling it "the greatest diplomatic disgrace and stain comparable to the Samjeondo humiliation."
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the expanded executive meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 6th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Lee said at an expanded executive meeting held at the National Assembly that morning, "It seems the Yoon Seok-yeol administration has ultimately chosen a path that betrays history and justice."
The government's announced third-party compensation plan involves the 'Forced Labor Victims Support Foundation' under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety using funds it has raised to pay the court-ordered compensation to the victims of forced labor during Japanese colonial rule. It is known that the funding for the compensation payments will primarily come from domestic companies that benefited from the claims funds under the 1965 Korea-Japan Claims Agreement. Victim groups strongly oppose this government solution, arguing that it "exempts the perpetrators from responsibility."
Lee stated, "The government will announce the forced labor compensation plan today. Compensation will be paid to victims using funds prepared by our companies, not Japanese war crime companies, and Japan's apology is expected to be limited to repeating previous statements," adding, "This is secondary harm that tramples on victims demanding genuine apologies and compensation from the perpetrators."
He then directed his remarks to President Yoon Seok-yeol, asking, "Which country's government is this?" and said, "The people will never tolerate this humiliating forced labor compensation plan."
He also warned, "Going against public sentiment will not escape judgment," and pointed out, "Take the hasty comfort women agreement that led to the downfall of the Park Geun-hye administration as a lesson."
He continued, "The Democratic Party will not tolerate any attempts to grant impunity for crimes," emphasizing, "We will strongly confront the people."
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