South Korea and Japan have reached a landmark agreement to resolve the issue of "comfort women", as those who were forced to work in Japan's wartime brothels were euphemistically known, which has long plagued ties between the neighbours.
The Japanese government feels "deep responsibility" over the comfort women issue and will contribute to a fund to help the women, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told a news conference after a meeting with South Korea's Yun Byung-se.
"Prime Minister Abe, as the prime minister of Japan, once again expresses his feeling of heartfelt apology and remorse to all those who, as 'comfort women', experienced much suffering and incurred incurable psychological and physical wounds," Kishida said.
Yun said South Korea will consider the matter resolved "finally and irreversibly" if the steps pledged by Japan are fully carried out.
