Choi Jong-moon, 2nd Vice Foreign Minister: "Comfort Women Are a Universal Human Rights Issue"

UN Human Rights Council Video Speech
No Mention of Japan

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Choi Jong-moon, the Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, raised the position that the issue of Japanese military comfort women is a universal human rights issue at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

On the 23rd (local time), Vice Minister Choi stated at the high-level segment, "The urgent issue we must address is sexual violence during and after conflicts."

He asserted, "The tragedy of comfort women should be treated as a universal human rights issue, and the recurrence of such serious human rights violations must be prevented."

Vice Minister Choi continued, "It is important that we do not forget the victims and survivors of this violence," adding, "Current and future generations should learn valuable lessons from the painful experiences of comfort women during World War II."

In his speech that day, Vice Minister Choi did not mention Japan, the perpetrator of the comfort women issue.

Since 2018, when the government announced problems with the comfort women agreement made during the Park Geun-hye administration, our government has continuously raised the comfort women issue at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Regarding North Korean human rights, Vice Minister Choi also said, "The humanitarian situation in North Korea could worsen due to economic sanctions, COVID-19, and natural disasters," emphasizing the need for ongoing attention.

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