North Korea has certainly, in the past, used detainees to initiate diplomatic exchanges with the United States.
Elise HuSouth Korea are pushing for a stronger way to isolate and punish North Korea for its latest nuclear test.
Elise HuJapan is formally apologizing and admitting the state was responsible for the system of comfort stations or brothels for soldiers in which mostly teenage girls were expected to service 60 to 70 men a day. That is from a U.N. report.
Elise HuThe first comfort women didn't actually come forward until 1992, and since then, the issue has really been kicked up. Japan issued a 1993 acknowledgement on this. It's called the Kono Agreement. But in recent years, South Korea has been wanting an apology to go much further.
Elise HuAnd that said, this [issues of comfort women] is important for reopening a conversation in both Japan and in Korea and on their respective understandings of history. Policymakers are going to be trumpeting this deal, but you know, as of now, we just don't know whether the women themselves who are actually victims will think this agreement is enough.
Elise Hu