VOA慢速英语2015 South Korea Wants Japan to Apologize to WWII Sex Slaves

 

AS IT IS 2015-02-02 South Korea Wants Japan to Apologize to WWII Sex Slaves

Every week, protesters gather in front of the Japanese embassy in the South Korean capital. They want Japan to apologize for forcing thousands of Korean women to have sex with Japanese soldiers during World War II. And they want Japan to make payments to the women for the physical and emotional harm they suffered.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the war. But the protestors have not forgotten what the Korean women were forced to do.

In South Korea, there are only a few surviving women who were forced into sex slavery during World War II. But young people are joining the weekly demonstration¹ near Japan’s embassy in Seoul. Sixteen-year-old Kwon Oh-ryung was in the crowd at one recent protest.

“Japanese doing such a, such a, you know such a crime to us, so we couldn’t stand it. We couldn’t bear it.”

It is estimated that more than 200,000 women from across Asia were forced to have sex with occupying Japanese soldiers during the war.

Yoon Mi-hyang has organized the demonstrations². Ms. Yoon is with a group called The Korean Council for The Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan. She says she and others have been protesting for almost 25 years.

She says the reason we stand here is that the Japanese government has not accepted its crime and has not offered an official apology and legal compensation which victims have been asking for.

South Koreans have become even more emotional about the issue since Shinzo Abe became Japan’s prime minister. He is less apologetic for Japan’s actions during the war than other prime ministers have been. Last year, Mr. Abe visited a memorial that listed the names of war criminals. The visit angered people in neighboring countries.

Mr. Abe also angered South Korea and other Asian countries by questioning earlier apologies Japan made for sexual slavery. Some of his conservative allies have suggested that not all of the women were forced into the sex trade. 

Mr. Abe has said he may want to amend³ a statement made in 1995 by then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama. Mr. Murayama apologized for the damage and suffering Japan caused during World War II. Mr. Abe may announce the changes in August on the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.

“As it is now 70 years since the end of the second World War, (the) Abe cabinet will be reflecting on what we did wrong in the last war and also on our progress as a peace-loving nation.”

At a recent protest in Seoul, a chair was left empty for one of the former sex slaves who had just died. Yoon Mi-hyang says this new generation of protesters will not let Korea’s sense of anger go away after the survivors⁴ die.

“The purpose of our activity is not to repeat such a tragic⁵ event like the comfort women issue; it is also what the victims want.”

The protesters say they will not forget or forgive until Japan apologizes and makes payments.

1 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

2 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

3 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

4 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

5 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。