Park Geun Hye on Comfort Women
TL;DR
Park Geun Hye reached a landmark 2015 agreement with Japan intended to finally and irreversibly resolve the comfort women issue.
Key Points
The agreement of December 2015 included Japan's expression of sincere apologies and remorse for the comfort women's experiences.
Her government established a foundation to support survivors with a Japanese government contribution of 1 billion yen as part of the settlement.
The administration was criticized domestically for prioritizing the resolution of the issue to improve ties over securing a full acknowledgment of legal responsibility.
Summary
Park Geun Hye’s administration reached a significant bilateral agreement with Japan in December 2015 concerning the issue of comfort women, which was intended to resolve the matter “finally and irreversibly”. The core of the deal involved Japan’s foreign minister expressing apologies and remorse, and Japan making a 1 billion yen contribution to a foundation for the surviving comfort women. The former president’s government viewed this agreement as a prerequisite for improving South Korea-Japan bilateral ties, focusing on implementing the agreed terms.
The agreement, however, faced immediate and strong domestic criticism in South Korea, particularly from the victims themselves, who felt it lacked an official admission of legal responsibility and was negotiated without their input. The administration defended the deal by stating its focus was on restoring the victims' honor and healing their wounds, while acknowledging limitations in consulting with survivors during negotiations. Despite the proclaimed finality, the subsequent political turmoil surrounding Park Geun Hye’s presidency saw her successor’s administration initiate a review that ultimately reversed the stance on the deal’s finality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Park Geun Hye's administration negotiated and concluded a major agreement with Japan in December 2015 regarding the comfort women issue. This deal was intended by her government to be a final and irreversible resolution to the decades-long dispute. It involved a Japanese fund for the survivors, in exchange for South Korea addressing concerns like the statue placement.
Reports indicate that the Park administration's negotiations for the 2015 agreement did not sufficiently reflect a victim-centered approach. A later review concluded the deal was reached through standard diplomatic negotiations, with limited consultation with the comfort women survivors themselves. This lack of consultation became a major point of contention after the agreement was announced.
The primary goal articulated by the Park administration was to achieve a “finally and irreversibly” settled status for the comfort women issue. The administration stated the focus was on restoring the victims' honor and healing their wounds. The agreement was also seen as crucial for building a new foundation for South Korea-Japan relations.
Sources10
The 'comfort women' issue after the fall of Park Geun-hye | East Asia Forum
The Comfort Women Agreement 5 Years On - Korea Economic Institute of America
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Comfort Woman Issue of JapanGov - The Government of Japan -
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Not “Final and Irreversible”: Explaining South Korea's January 2018 Reversal on the “Comfort Women” Agreement
Park administration kept parts of 'comfort women' agreement secret - The Korea Herald
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Behind the Comfort Women Agreement | FSI
South Korea's Political Parasites Deprive Comfort Women of Closure and Healing | JAPAN Forward
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.