calendar>>October 23. 2008 Juche 97

Earlier Settlement of Issue of "Comfort Women" Urged

Pyongyang, October 22 (KCNA) -- Japan should settle the issue of "comfort women" as early as possible, clearly understanding the trend of the times in which sincere apology and reparation are made to redeem the crime-woven past although more than half a century has passed since the end of the Second World War, urged the DPRK delegate addressing the meeting of the 3rd Committee of the 63rd UN General Assembly on Oct. 14.

To eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and ensure equality between the men and women is the consistent policy of the government of the DPRK which considers the Juche idea centering on man as a guiding principle, he said, and went on:

It would be unthinkable about the progress of women at present and in the future, still less the settlement of the issue without the full redemption of past.

The sexual slavery for the Imperial Japanese Army imposed by Japan upon 200,000 Korean women during the period of its occupation of Korea is a hideous crime against humanity and an important human rights issue that should be settled under any circumstances.

The world history does not know such precedence as forcing girls in their teens into sexual slavery, taking them to battlefields.

Nevertheless, the Japanese authorities have totally refused sincere apology and reparation to the victims while failing to admit the state responsibility for the crime of "comfort women."

The negation of evident crime is little short of adding another crime to those already committed and a declaration that it would repeat such crimes in the future, too.

We remind Japan of the fact that the resolutions were adopted even at parliaments in various Western countries over the past one year demanding Japan's repentance and apology for the above-said crime.