Abe apologises, offers one billion yen to South Korea 'comfort women'

Seoul

JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a landmark apology to South Korean "comfort women" coerced into Japanese military brothels before and during World War II, with his government agreeing to provide one billion yen (S$11.7 million) to a fund for compensating victims.

The governments of Japan and South Korea agreed that this would be a final "irreversible" solution to an issue that has dogged bilateral ties for decades. Mr Abe's message was delivered by Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida at a press conference in Seoul after a meeting with South Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se.