week 3-comfort women

Japan and South Korea agree WW2 'comfort women' deal

Japan and South Korea have agreed to settle the issue of "comfort women" forced to work in Japanese brothels during World War Two, in their first such deal since 1965.

Japan has apologised and will pay 1bn yen ($8.3m, £5.6m) - the amount South Korea asked for - to fund victims.
The issue has been the key cause for strained ties. South Korea has demanded stronger apologies and compensation.
Only 46 former "comfort women" are still alive in South Korea.
The announcement came after Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida met his counterpart Yun Byung-se in Seoul, following moves to speed up talks.

Later Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe phoned South Korean President Park Geun-hye to repeat an apology already offered by Mr Kishida.
"Japan and South Korea are now entering a new era," Mr Abe told reporters afterwards. "We should not drag this problem into the next generation."
Ms Park issued a separate statement, saying a deal had been urgently needed - given the advanced age of most of the victims.
"Nine died this year alone," she said. "I hope the mental pains of the elderly comfort women will be eased."
It is estimated that up to 200,000 women were forced to be sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during WW2, many of them Korean. Other women came from China, the Philippines, Indonesia and Taiwan.

Japan will give 1bn yen to a fund for the elderly comfort women, which the South Korean government will administer

The money also comes with an apology by Japan's prime minister and the acceptance of "deep responsibility" for the issue

South Korea says it will consider the matter resolved "finally and irreversibly" if Japan fulfils its promises

South Korea will also look into removing a statue symbolising comfort women, which activists erected outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul in 2011

Both sides have agreed to refrain from criticising each other on this issue in the international community

 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35188135


Structure of the Lead：

      WHO-'comfort women'

      WHEN-not given

      WHAT-apologized

      WHY-not given

      WHERE-Japan and South Korea

      HOW- pay to fund victims

 

Keywords：

   1. brothel：妓院

   2. strain：應變

   3. compensation：賠償金

   4. counterpart：對方

   5. drag：拖動

   6. deep responsibility：深度的責任

   7.  irreversibly：不可逆

   8. erect：直立

   9. embassy：大使館

 10. refrain：避免