The Daily Manila Shimbun

 

S. Korea gov’t opposes “comfort women” statue on disputed islets

January 19, 2017

SEOULSouth Korea’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday voiced opposition to the erection of a girl statue symbolizing “comfort women” victims on a pair of islets claimed by Japan as proposed by a group of local assembly members, saying it would be “undesirable.”
The ministry said the two issues — the two countries’ territorial dispute over the South Korean-controlled islets and the procurement of Korean women for Japanese military brothels before and during World War II — are “totally different in nature” and should not be “linked.”
It said the comfort women issue concerns “universal human rights,” while the isle dispute concerning “territorial sovereignty.” (Kyodo News)