Moon vowed not to dissolve comfort women foundation

February 18, 2018

Tokyo- South Korean President Moon Jae-in recently promised not to dissolve a foundation set up under a 2015 accord with Japan on the so-called comfort women issue, a senior Japanese official has said.

In his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in South Korea on Feb. 9, Moon made it clear that the foundation will not be dissolved, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said on television Friday.

Moon also told Abe that the one-billion-yen contribution the Japanese government made to the foundation will not be returned. Furthermore, the South Korean leader said the 2015 deal will not be abandoned or renegotiated, according to Nishimura.

The foundation was set up to support former South Korean comfort women forced into prostitution for Japanese soldiers before and during World War II.

Moon told Abe that it is essential to heal the psychological wounds of the victims in order to finally resolve the comfort women issue, Nishimura said.

Moon did not request any fresh apology on the issue from Abe or any additional measures to resolve it, according to Nishimura.

Meanwhile, Abe expressed hope that South Korea will fulfill its promises, including the removal of a comfort women statue in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul, Nishimura said. Jiji Press