U.S. envoy urges Japan to address wartime sex slavery issue

Sung Kim, the U.S. ambassador to Korea, said Thursday that the Japanese comfort women issue, or the sex slavery issue, is a “grave human rights violation.” He made the remarks at a forum hosted by the Kwanhun Club, a senior journalists’ association, in Seoul, saying that he agrees with Korea and comfort women are coerced sex slaves for Japanese soldiers and an issue that is alive (remaining unaddressed).

Kim explicitly supported Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se who criticized Japan for not repenting its past behaviors at the U.N. Human Rights Council, saying, “We have been clear about the comfort women issue.”

The U.S. Embassy to Japan had been pointed out for releasing a vague statement on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe`s visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine last year. When asked about this, Kim said, “The statement was quite direct and explicit. The U.S. rarely expresses disappointment to its ally.” For the concerns over a potential increase in the activities of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, he said, “Any issue happening in the U.S.-Japan alliance will neither harm Korea nor aggravate the U.S.-Korea relations.”