Page 8 - atoday

A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 29 december 2016
S. Korean politicians call for nullifying sex slave deal

KIM TONG-HYUNG by the country’s opposition-
Associated Press controlled parliament over
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — a corruption scandal on
South Korea’s opposition Dec. 9, had endorsed the
politicians on Wednesday state history textbooks,
called for nullifying a saying it would inspire
settlement reached patriotism in students. Her
between Seoul and Tokyo critics saw the books at an
on compensation for South attempt to whitewash the
Korean women forced into brutal dictatorships that
sexual slavery by Japan’s preceded the country’s
military in World War II. bloody transition toward
Their statements on the democracy in the 1980s.
anniversary of the deal Park is the daughter of
came amid growing efforts slain military dictator Park
to erase some of the key Chung-hee, whose legacy
policies of impeached as a successful economic
President Park Geun-hye. strategist is marred by
Facing political and public records of violent civilian
pressure, the Education oppression.
Ministry on Tuesday Education Minister Lee
backtracked from a much- Joon-sik said schools could
criticized plan to require keep using history textbooks
middle and high schools to South Korean college students march with portraits of deceased former South Korean sex slaves made by private publishers
use only state-issued history who were forced to serve for the Japanese military in World War II, during a rally against Japanese next year, although they
textbooks from next year. government in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016. can also choose to use
Woo Sang-ho, floor leader Associated Press state textbooks on a trial
of the main opposition basis.
Democratic Party, said the where many thought the been reconstructing its as “irreversible.” Park’s South Korea’s Constitutional
party will work to invalidate government settled for far embassy building, calling conservative ruling party Court has up to six months
the sex slave agreement too less. for the agreement to criticized Woo, accusing to decide whether Park
if it wins the presidential Hundreds of protesters be scrapped and the him of attacking the should permanently step
elections that could take gathered around a statute foundation to be dissolved. deal without proposing down or be reinstated. If
place in just months, of a girl symbolizing South It’s unclear whether South alternatives and acting like she is formally removed
echoing similar promises Korean sexual slavery Korea could reverse his party already won the from office, a presidential
made by the party’s victims near a street in an agreement both presidential race. election must be held
potential candidates. Seoul where Japan has governments described Park, who was impeached within 60 days.q
Kim Gyeong-rok,
spokesman of the People’s
Party, criticized the Park Australian police seize 1 ton of cocaine, arrest 15 men
administration for “selling
away” the victims’ honor SYDNEY (AP) — Australian kilograms (1,300 pounds) of ment history,” Australian a small boat was launched
and dignity, and said officials seized more than a cocaine in the South Pacif- Federal Police Acting As- from the vessel and later
the issue couldn’t be ton of cocaine worth about ic island nation of Tahiti that sistant Commissioner Chris docked in Brooklyn.
resolved without Japan 360 million Australian dollars police say was bound for Sheehan told reporters. Authorities swooped on the
offering a sincere apology ($260 million) in what police the Australian market. On “The criminal syndicate we boat and arrested three
and admitting legal on Thursday dubbed one Sunday, police seized 500 have dismantled over the men. Another 12 men were
responsibility. of the largest drug busts in kilograms (1,100 pounds) last few days was a robust, arrested over the past sev-
Under the agreement, the nation’s history. of cocaine that was found resilient and determined eral days.
Japan pledged to give 1 Fifteen men were arrested on a boat in the town of syndicate.” All of the men have been
billion yen ($8.5 million) to a following a 2 ½-year feder- Brooklyn, 50 kilometers (30 In early December, police charged with conspiracy
foundation to help support al and state police investi- miles) north of Sydney. The and border officials began to import a commercial
the former sex slaves. gation into suspected drug drugs are believed to have monitoring a vessel that quantity of border-con-
South Korea, in exchange, trafficking by commercial come from South America. was traveling between trolled drugs. If convicted,
vowed to refrain from fishermen in Sydney, New “The size of that seizure Sydney’s popular fish mar- they could face a maxi-
criticizing Japan over the South Wales police said in collectively makes it the kets and the central coast mum sentence of life in
issue. The deal was widely a statement.
largest cocaine seizure in of New South Wales. On prison. q
criticized in South Korea, In March, officials seized 600 Australian law enforce- Christmas night, police say