For the world's third-largest economy it is not a lot either way.
For reference, the US just agreed to pay up to $4.4M per person to the Americans who were held hostage by Iranians in the 1970s.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
S. Korea, Japan strike deal on 'comfort women'
- Thread starter ponpo
- Start date
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
For the world's third-largest economy it is not a lot either way.
For reference, the US just agreed to pay up to $4.4M per person to the Americans who were held hostage by Iranians in the 1970s.
For the world's third-largest economy it is not a lot either way.
For reference, the US just agreed to pay up to $4.4M per person to the Americans who were held hostage by Iranians in the 1970s.
And even at such a paltry sum they tried to bargain with the Korean government.
It's good that this has happened but it won't change anything really. Too many people in Korea outright hate Japan and everything to do with it for this to change anything. It's good that they will 'officially' be getting along but the SK government won't have the backing of the Korean people.
KillerMan91
Member
It's good that this has happened but it won't change anything really. Too many people in Korea outright hate Japan and everything to do with it for this to change anything. It's good that they will 'officially' be getting along but the SK government won't have the backing of the Korean people.
It's changing with younger generations and with deals like these the change will continue.
Kenshin001
Member
For the world's third-largest economy it is not a lot either way.
For reference, the US just agreed to pay up to $4.4M per person to the Americans who were held hostage by Iranians in the 1970s.
I don't think that is a very good comparison. A better one would be the amount the US has paid to the estimated one million victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam, which I believe is zero or to the 15-20,000 civilian victims injured in the Iraq invasion which is also zero.
I'm glad Japan has seemingly owned up to one of its crimes and is seeking to redress the situation but let's not get on our high horse.
It's changing with younger generations and with deals like these the change will continue.
You'd be surprised how prevalent the anti Japanese rhetoric is amongst Koreans in their 20s. It's going to take a long time for it to change.
Chips Fission
Banned
BTW, this is off topic but I'm interested. What are SK / Vietnam relationships these days, have SK made formal apology for their atrocities in Vietnam during the war? Does Vietnam even demand one? I have faint recollection that one SK President was going to give formal apology but the idea was shot down by the right wingers in the SK government.
You'd be surprised how prevalent the anti Japanese rhetoric is amongst Koreans in their 20s. It's going to take a long time for it to change.
Yeah it surprised me too. There aren't many Koreans in my neck of the woods. But I had this one guy in middle school who initially thought I was North Korean (lol) that referred to Japanese as dogs when I brought up something Japan related.
KillerMan91
Member
You'd be surprised how prevalent the anti Japanese rhetoric is amongst Koreans in their 20s. It's going to take a long time for it to change.
Well still it must be better than among the older folk? I mean Japanese culture (anime/manga etc.) is fairly popular among the young people of Korea (likewise in Japan regarding of Korean culture).
Well still it must be better than among the older folk? I mean Japanese culture (anime/manga etc.) is fairly popular among the young people of Korea (likewise in Japan regarding of Korean culture).
It's marginally better than the older generations but only slightly. I can't count how many times I have been told not to go to Japan because of "radiation". If anything the way the current generation of Koreans tend to dislike Japan is pretty irrational. It's like it has just been drilled into a lot of them. It's pretty apparent that the reasons don't go very deep.
Brawly Likes to Brawl
Member
Decent first step, hopefully now they'll stop tip-toeing around the issue in textbooks.
Ganzlinger
Member
At last
Mr. Wedgewood
Member
Well still it must be better than among the older folk? I mean Japanese culture (anime/manga etc.) is fairly popular among the young people of Korea (likewise in Japan regarding of Korean culture).
I can only speak of my personal experience. My exgf is from Korea is in her early thirties. Her grandmother was around during the WW2 days and she experienced first hand the Japanese occupation. Lets just say her grandmothers dislike of the Japanese passed down to her.
NPR said 100 were still alive.The estimates concern about 200.000 women, 20% Korean according to a Japanese study, that did put the total amount of women a lot lower. Basing ourselves on this number, we're talking about 40.000 women. An estimated 75% died during the event, so that leaves about 10.000 women. That is about $1000 per woman. Of course, that depends on the number of them that are still alive at this time which will probably be a lot lower. Let's look at it the other way around, say it costs $20.000 yearly to support someone retired. That would be enough money to support 500 people for one year. No matter the denominator, this is a highly symbolic amount.
It's a start, what about China?
Korea is probably where they choose to start first.
Kuro Madoushi
Unconfirmed Member
Eh, really depends. My wife is Korean and early 30s and is quite happy with Japan and the Japanese.I can only speak of my personal experience. My exgf is from Korea is in her early thirties. Her grandmother was around during the WW2 days and she experienced first hand the Japanese occupation. Lets just say her grandmothers dislike of the Japanese passed down to her.
SporeCrawler
Member
what many people seem to forget is
- there is a 1965 treaty in which japan paid a compensation for all its wartime crimes to korea. Korea accepted that money and it went into some private pockets of conglomerates (including posco)
- Japan offered to compensate private households but Korea insisted that the money should be paid only to Korea
- Korea never offered compensation to private households despite they were at least morally obliged to do so by the 1965 treaty
This new treaty is a form of goodwill by the Japanese in my eyes since there already was compensation paid by Japan (which korea accepted) and the Korean public is already screaming that it was a bad deal.
- there is a 1965 treaty in which japan paid a compensation for all its wartime crimes to korea. Korea accepted that money and it went into some private pockets of conglomerates (including posco)
- Japan offered to compensate private households but Korea insisted that the money should be paid only to Korea
- Korea never offered compensation to private households despite they were at least morally obliged to do so by the 1965 treaty
This new treaty is a form of goodwill by the Japanese in my eyes since there already was compensation paid by Japan (which korea accepted) and the Korean public is already screaming that it was a bad deal.
SporeCrawler
Member
Would be easy if the country that did all the war crimes during the war apologize without glossing things over. They ain't no Germany.
its not as easy as that. on a treaty level there are still a lot of things to be desired in germany too. especially if you look at the reparation payments or the lack thereof to greece.
what germany did well is that they established themselves as the regional hegemon of the EU. no country can seriously oppose to germany without feating economic and political isolation within the EU. That tendency existed since the 70s but back then france was a strong counter to it while now germany has established itself as a true hegemon.
if you look at the right wing extremists in germany there are still people murdering non/german people for over 10 years and the police as well as the secret services knew about this. there are also nationalist parties that gain more and more popularity. also there were a lot of former nazis that were maintained or elevated to the social elite after the war.
I would agree though that at least in school education and academic research germany has done more than japan.
SporeCrawler
Member
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2015/12/28/0200000000AEN20151228002251315.html
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20151228/k10010355451000.html
The Japan Times is reporting the total amount is ¥1 billion, but don't see that number reported elsewhere. That's what SK was asking and Japan offered lower initially, but maybe they agreed on that amount.
Part of the agreement seems to be that South Korea will consider the issue closed as long as Japan fulfills its part of the deal, so presumably it won't be brought up between the two again. At least officially.
e: Some confirmation about that Japan Times number via AP
Some people I talked to weren't that thrilled. They kept bringing up how Japan already payed so didn't uh understand why they were paying again.
Young people too, not old!
the 1965 Agreement Between Japan and the Republic of Korea Concerning the Settlement of Problems in Regard to Property and Claims and Economic Cooperation says
"The High Contracting Parties confirm that the problems concerning property, rights, and interests of the two High Contracting Parties and their peoples (including juridical persons) and the claims between the High Contracting Parties and between their peoples, including those stipulated in Article IV(a) of the Peace Treaty with Japan signed at the city of San Francisco on September 8, 1951, have been settled completely and finally."
so yeah i think it is a step in the right direction by Japan.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.