The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Ex-ministers visit comfort women shelter

By 천성우

Published : Feb. 15, 2011 - 18:48

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Former justice ministers of both Korea and Japan visited the House of Sharing in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province on Sunday to solace the “comfort women” who were forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during World War II.

Former Japanese Justice Minister Sugiura Seikan and former Korean Justice Minister Kim Sung-ho laid flowers in the memorial park at the house, then toured the education office and the historical museum, before meeting with comfort women.
Former Korean Justice Minister Kim Sungho (left) and former Japanese Justice Minister Sugiura Seikan solace comfort women forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese troops during World War II at the House of Sharing in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday. (Yonhap News) Former Korean Justice Minister Kim Sungho (left) and former Japanese Justice Minister Sugiura Seikan solace comfort women forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese troops during World War II at the House of Sharing in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday. (Yonhap News)

Noting that he visited there in his capacity as an individual, Sugiura said that he wanted to ascertain the suffering of comfort women by visiting the museum and meeting them.

Comfort women there told him that they would never die until the Japanese government apologized and compensated them.

Eight comfort women live at the House of Sharing.

(swchun@heraldcorp.com)