WASHINGTON -- The Council of Korean Americans (CKA), a national nonpartisan organization of Korean Americans with diverse backgrounds, is disappointed by the speech given today by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to a joint meeting of Congress. Prime Minister Abe's visit to Washington was intended to be a forward-looking event, designed to strengthen Japan's alliance with the US. For weeks, a broad chorus of voices -- including a bipartisan group of members of Congress as well as the Council of Korean Americans -- has been calling on Prime Minister Abe to give an unequivocal apology for Japan's role in the "comfort women" system of sexual slavery during WWII. However, today, there was neither an apology, nor any reference made to the comfort women during his 45-minute speech.

Prime Minister Abe has previously sought to suppress and deny the historical facts. He has denied any government coercion in the recruitment of comfort women and alleged that comfort women were simply part of a licensed prostitution system. The Abe administration worked to suppress a UN report on comfort women and objected to the description of comfort women in a US-published academic textbook.

Yong Soo Lee, 86, of South Korea attended today's speech. Sitting in the House gallery, from her wheelchair, dressed in a traditional Korean "hanbok," Ms. Lee represented the hopes of her fellow comfort women to be given a clear apology from Japan's top leader while they are still alive. "Grandma Lee," as she is known, continues to wait.

The Council of Korean Americans and our allies will continue to be the voice of Grandma Lee and all comfort women everywhere in pursuit of an unequivocal apology, as urged by House Resolution 121. We look forward to the day when Japan's role in the plight of the comfort women is fully acknowledged by its leadership, and the dignity of all comfort women, including Grandma Lee, is restored.

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