Sta
FE/1651 A2/1
ROK/JAPAN
A. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
2. REGIONAL RELATIONS
T70/5
31 Mar 93
12
KOREA AND JAPAN
[1]
SOUTH KOREA GIVES COMPENSATION TO "COMFORT WOMEN"; JAPAN TO STUDY HOW TO ATONE
(a) Yonhap news agency Seoul in English 0821 gmt 29 Mar 93
Excerpts from report
The South Korean government announced Monday [29th March] an assistance programme for "comfort women”, who were forced into prostitution by the Japanese army during World War II.
The government had decided to help these women and it would give financial assistance to the estimated 140 of them who had registered with it soon after presenting legislation to a special National Assembly session in April, Vice Foreign Minister Hong Sun-yong told reporters.
Its first goal was to give each of the estimated 135 women in Korea 5m won (6,400 US dollars) for immediate necessities plus 206,000 won a month. They will receive free medical insurance coverage and pay reduced rents for government housing.
Surviving Korean comfort women registered with the government and living abroad would get a lump sum of 5m won each, Hong said...
"The decision is part of the government's efforts to heal the wounds of the tragic past for the Korean people”, he said, adding that Seoul would not ask Tokyo to pay compensation in connection with the comfort women issue...
"The Korean government shall therefore continue to make efforts to develop forward-looking ties between Seoul and Tokyo", Hong said. "And Tokyo should accept the tragic history in a humble manner and relentlessly strive not to repeat it"...
(b) NHK Television Tokyo in Japanese 1000 gmt 29 Mar 93
Excerpts from report (FE/1648 A1/4 [6])
South Korean President Kim Yong-sam has stated that the South Korean government would not seek any financial compensation for former Korean comfort women from the Japanese government... The South Korean government says that its decision to compensate the former Korean comfort women would not affect at all the lawsuits filed by some former Korean comfort women against the Japanese
government.
In reaction to the South Korean government's decision to compensate the former Korean comfort women, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kono said: I cannot comment on the South Korean
government's decision, since I know nothing about the details of the decision; however, the Japanese government is now doing its utmost to investigate the former Korean comfort women issue. The Japanese government will study ways to express regret to the former Korean comfort women for their suffering of deep sorrow and mental wounds. In this way, the government spokesman indicated
the Japanese government would take some steps other than compensation for the former Korean comfort women after completing the investigation.
that
(c) Kyodo News Service Tokyo in English 0517 gmt 30 Mar 93 Excerpt from report
Japan cannot promise to describe its alleged forced prostitution of Asian women for the Japanese military during World War II in school history textbooks, Education Minister Mayumi Moriyama said Tuesday [30th March].
Moriyama told reporters it is "difficult” to direct textbook publishers to put accounts of "comfort women" a term for women who allegedly were forced into prostitution in military brothels during the war.
She said the publishers decide to edit the textbooks on their own. The Education Ministry, however, screens textbooks and sometimes orders publishers to change passages it finds fault with...
JAPAN,VIETNAM AND CHINA
[2]
Vietnamese Foreign Minister on Japanese interest in US-Vietnam relations (FE/1650 A2/1 [1] - Excerpts) Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cam and Minister Le Xuan Trinh, Director of the Government Office, held a press conference on the afternoon of 29th March at the Government Guest House to announce the good results of Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet's official visit to Japan...
Minister Nguyen Manh Cam and Minister Le Xuan Trinh answered many questions raised by newsmen. In response to a question raised by a Reuters correspondent concerning Japan's stance over the lifting of US embargo against Vietnam and normalization of US-Vietnamese relations, Minister Nguyen Manh Cam said:
[Begin Nguyen Manh Cam recording] It must be said that during our talks, the Japanese side expressed the desire to see the United States lift its embargo and normalize relations with Vietnam at an early date. Prompted by this desire, the Japanese side asked our side about Vietnam's stance over normalization of US-Vietnamese relations and lifting of the US embargo. We already clarified our standpoint as follows: It is our policy to continue to do all we can to help with the normalization of US-Vietnamese relations. We believe that
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