While South Korea and Japan were sitting down for the first time ever to talk about the comfort women issue, the surviving victims were standing up and demanding justice outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul,... as they've been doing each and every Wednesday since January of 1992.
Our Yoo Li-an was there, and files this report.
Shouts rings out... calling on Japan to atone for its sexual enslavement of women during World War Two.
Every Wednesday, for the past 22 years,... victims of the atrocities carried out by Japan relive their painful past here, in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul.
Ahead of the first-ever governmental meeting between Korea and Japan on the issue of so-called "comfort women,"... a euphemism for sex slaves,... the victims were cautiously optimistic.
"All we want is the Japanese government to recognize its wrongdoings, apologize and provide legal compensation. But we will have to wait to see what they really have in mind."
Civic leaders were concerned that the meeting was simply a show put on by the Japanese government,... wary about its strained relationship with the U.S. in recent months.
"We will have to see if the Japanese government came to seek resolution or only came because of pressure from Washington ahead of President Obama's visit to Japan and Korea next week. I hope it's the former."
With hopes running high,... the former comfort women were joined by supporters at the rally.
"Even the idea of using "comfort women" is unacceptable. That is the universal opinion. I plead, as a Japanese citizen... that Japan apologize and make sure such things never happen again."
"The South Korean government should not give a lukewarm response but rather make strong demands on behalf of these comfort women."
Only 55 Korean women identified as former sex slaves remain alive today,... with their average age nearing 90.
The doors to the Japanese embassy remain closed to their calls for justice.
"The ignorance of the Japanese government is becoming ever harder to bear for the victims, who have grown frail from decades of waiting.
Time is running out.
Yoo Li-an, Arirang News."
