7 WWII Sex Slaves Given Compensation

Seven women forced to provide sex to Japanese soldiers in World War II received compensation from a private Japanese fund, officials said. They were the first South Korean former sex slaves to accept such payments. The victims were each given $17,000 and a letter of apology from Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said. The Seoul government expressed its displeasure, saying the payments resulted from Tokyo’s refusal to take its wartime crimes seriously and pay direct government compensation to the victims. Many South Korean former sex slaves have refused compensation from the private fund. Tokyo faces demands from many victims for direct government compensation, but it maintains that the issue has already been settled by postwar treaties.