WASHINGTON (AP) _ Two members of South Korea's legislature criticized the State Department on Friday for seeking dismissal of a class action lawsuit brought against Japan by ``comfort women'' who contend they served as sex slaves for the Japanese military during World War II.
An estimated 200,000 women, mostly from Korea, served as sex slaves.
``Ironically, one week after the United States was not re-elected to the U.N. Human Rights Commission, the United States released a statement in favor of Japan and against the people who were victimized,'' said Young Jin Kim of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party. His words were translated into English by attorney Michael Choi.
The U.S. government contends the U.S. federal court does not have jurisdiction and thus, may not hear the case, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Monday. The position is based in part on the fact that decades-old treaties settled claims stemming from Japan's wartime activities.
At the same time, Boucher said, the U.S. government recognizes and sympathizes with the ``terrible suffering that was endured by those who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II.''
The lawmakers _ who visited with State Department officials and members of Congress this week _ also denounced President Bush's plan to build a national missile defense, saying it will cause an arms race throughout Asia.
They also expressed concern that the administration is turning its back on South Korea's attempts to resolve its differences with North Korea.
``The Koreas have been divided against their will for years by the two superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States,'' Kim said, and they remain apart even though the United States has good relations with Russia. ``Now we're about to heal our wounds. But the United States seems to not be supportive of our effort.''
Some say the U.S. decision not to proceed immediately with missile negotiations with North Korea may have undercut South Korean President Kim Dae Jung's reconciliation attempts with the North. However, Bush administration expressions of support for Kim's effort have been consistent.
Regarding the comfort women's lawsuit against Japan, Choi said it is hypocritical for the U.S. government to oppose that suit while it supports slave laborers who are seeking compensation from the companies for which they worked in Nazi Germany.
Korean slave laborers have filed a separate federal lawsuit in Los Angeles that targets Japanese companies, not the government.