Japan, S. Korea Reach Accord to Solve Comfort Women Issue

Seoul, Dec. 28 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese and South Korean governments reached an accord Monday to resolve the dispute over "comfort women," mainly Koreans, who were forced to work in Japanese military brothels before and during World War II. The agreement was reached at a meeting between Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and his South Korean counterpart, Yun Byung-se, in Seoul. The Japanese government is "painfully aware of responsibilities" over the comfort women issue and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "expresses anew his most sincere apologies and remorse" to all former comfort women, Kishida said at a joint press conference with Yun following their meeting. Japan will make a one-time contribution of some one billion yen to a new foundation that will be set up by South Korea to support former comfort women, Kishida announced. The two governments confirmed that the issue of comfort women is resolved "finally and irreversibly" on the premise that the agreed measures will be implemented steadily, and will refrain from accusing or criticizing each other over the issue, Kishida and Yun said. END