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Deal With Japan on ‘comfort women’ failed victims: S.Korea (Lead)
Seoul, Dec 28 (IANS) South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday that the wartime sexual slavery issue of “comfort women” cannot be resolved by a 2015 agreement with Japan after a government panel said it failed the victims.
Moon’s comments came a day after Seoul’s Foreign Ministry confirmed a secret deal in the 2015 agreement, Xinhua news agency reported.
The government in Seoul in 2015 under impeached President Park Geun-hye made the deal with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over the South Korean victims, who were forced into sexual servitude for Japanese military brothels during World War II.
The South Korean government-appointed panel on Wednesday faulted the “final and irreversible” deal, giving Moon the potential opportunity to change or even scrap the agreement.
In the deal, Japan expressed responsibility and made a new apology promising a $8.3 million-compensation. In return, Seoul promised not to criticise Tokyo on the issue again, a New York Times report said.
After eight rounds of secretive high-level negotiations, when the pact was announced, parts of it were not made public, including Tokyo’s demand that Seoul would not use the term “sexual slaves,” the panel said.
Instead they would be referred to as “victims of comfort stations of the Japanese military,” it said.
Seoul said on Thursday it would not take a final call without consulting the surviving victims and families of those who died.
Tokyo also warned that any attempt to revise the agreement would be “unacceptable” and affect relations.
The legacy of sexual slavery remains one of the most intractable disputes resulting from Japan’s colonisation of Korea from 1910 to its World War II defeat in 1945.
Tens of thousands of women, many of them Korean, were lured or coerced to work in brothels catering to the Japanese Army from the early 1930s until 1945.
The Korean women who survived the war lived mostly in silence due to the stigma associated, and many never married.
A total of 238 women have come forward in South Korea since the early 1990s, of whom 36 are still alive.
Japan has maintained that all legal issues stemming from its colonial rule of Korea were resolved with a 1965 treaty.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.