Civic Groups Urge Government to Rectify 'Comfort Women Agreement' and 'Third-Party Compensation Plan'

Citizens’ Group for Forced Mobilization and Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance
Urge the Lee Jaemyung Administration to Rectify
the “Comfort Women Agreement” and “Third-Party Compensation Plan”
Denounce “Humiliating Diplomacy” and Call for Truth and Justice

Members of civil society organizations participating in the "Joint Action for Historical Justice and Peaceful Korea-Japan Relations" held an urgent press conference on the 4th in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, condemning the Ministry's announcement to initiate the deposit procedure concerning the victims and bereaved families of forced labor during Japanese colonial rule, who have opposed the "third-party payment." Photo by Yoon Dongju

A civic group supporting the victims of forced labor under Japanese colonial rule has called on the current administration to rectify the "Japan-Korea Comfort Women Agreement" and the "third-party compensation plan," both of which have been criticized by the public as humiliating diplomacy.

The Citizens’ Group for Forced Mobilization under Japanese Colonial Rule issued a statement on the 21st, saying, "Ahead of his first visit to Japan since taking office, President Lee Jaemyung stated in an interview with a Japanese media outlet that the previous 'comfort women' agreement and the forced labor compensation issue are 'promises made by the state and should not be overturned,' expressing his intention to maintain them."

They argued, "The 2015 Japan-Korea Foreign Ministers' agreement on the 'comfort women' issue under the Park Geunhye administration did not even produce a single written agreement between the two countries," and questioned, "Are we supposed to follow a mere verbal agreement between the foreign ministers of both countries as if it were an inviolable principle?"

They continued, "When the Yoon Sukyeol administration pushed through the third-party compensation plan for forced labor in 2023 despite public opposition, was there even a verbal promise, let alone a formal agreement between the two countries?" They criticized, "Other than the Yoon Sukyeol administration’s unilateral move to grant immunity to Japanese defendant companies, what else was there, as it was busy making concessions to Japan?"

They further stated, "Mistakes must, of course, be corrected. The Lee Jaemyung administration's justification of 'consistency' under the guise of 'state-to-state promises' is also distorting reality," and pointed out, "If we follow President Lee’s logic, does that mean the 'Japan-Korea Annexation' (the Japanese term), in which Yi Wanyong sold out national sovereignty, should also be honored as a promise?"

They added, "When the Yoon Sukyeol administration announced the third-party compensation plan, it was loudly denounced as 'the greatest disgrace in diplomatic history, rivaling the humiliation of Samjeondo.' Was that just lip service? It is utterly absurd that while the perpetrator country, Japan, remains silent, the victim country’s government is the first to declare, 'We will do this,' or 'We will do that.'"

The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan also issued a statement on the same day, saying, "At the time of the '2015 Japan-Korea Agreement,' we strongly criticized it as 'an attempt to forever bury our people who suffered at the hands of Japan,' and insisted that 'any agreement between Korea and Japan to erase the comfort women issue from history and remove the Statue of Peace is invalid.' We now question whether this is the same person who made those claims," and "the people, who firmly believed that the government of national sovereignty would wipe away the tears of the victims of military sexual slavery by Japan, are now witnessing this administration repeat the mistakes of its predecessor."

They went on to say, "The 'policy consistency and national credibility' mentioned by President Lee are not two mutually exclusive domains from the perspectives of the public, victims, and bereaved families. If the administration cannot correct the previous government's wrong policies, whose trust are they trying to earn?"

They further emphasized, "Above all, the issue of military sexual slavery by Japan is not just a matter between Korea and Japan. It was a widespread crime that occurred throughout the Asia-Pacific region and remains a universal women's human rights issue that still arises during wars and conflicts today," and "what the Lee Jaemyung administration must do is not to be bound by a flawed 'agreement,' but to squarely face the grave issues committed by the Japanese government in the past, care for its own citizens who suffered from crimes against humanity, and move toward the future based on truth and justice."