Ruling party chief meets with sexual slavery victim

The leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) met with a victim of Japan's wartime sexual slavery on Tuesday and discussed her calls for bringing the issue to a United Nations committee.

Rep. Song Young-gil, chairman of the DP, said he met with Lee Yong-soo, one of the 13 registered surviving South Korean victims of sexual slavery, and discussed ways to bring Japan's wartime sexual slavery case to the United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT).

The UN body, comprising 10 experts, monitors implementation of the UN convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by its state parties.

Lee had sought to bring the sexual slavery issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). But in order for the issue to be handled at the ICJ, it requires consent from both South Korea and Japan, making it nearly impossible for sexual slavery victims to pursue the case.

Due to such a problem, Lee and her group last month asked Seoul to solve the case through the UN body.

"In order to do that, our government first needs to file a complaint," Song said. "I will speak with the foreign ministry about it."

On Monday, Lee, 93, met Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party, and also requested to bring the issue to the UN body. (Yonhap)