More Harmony for Seoul
I could make so many comments - it's election season in ROK, and Japan could use some positive, cheap diplomatic news - but, more Sakhalin Koreans are arriving in Seoul for repatriation.
Lee and her husband, who speak Russian at home, now live in a small but modern flat about an hour west of Seoul. It took years of negotiations among Japan, Russia and South Korea to devise a repatriation plan.
Japan, which says all its compensation claims with South Korea were settled by an accord the two signed decades ago, has quietly and on humanitarian grounds helped fund the return, South Korea's Overseas Information Service said.
The Koreans receive rent subsidies, pensions and health insurance from the South Korean government with Japan kicking in money for their transport and appliances for their new homes.
The first group of 900 Sakhalin Koreans came back in 2000. The current program, open to Koreans 65 and older, has been relocating another 610 people since the start of October.
«My parents wanted to come back so much. They spent their days crying until they finally passed away,» said Chung Young-ja, 67, who went with her parents to Sakhalin when she was a toddler.
South Korea says there are still 3,200 first-generation Koreans on Sakhalin.
On leaving Russia Chung and her husband, Chang Jung-gi, left behind three children and seven grandchildren who are settled in the country and are never likely to live in South Korea.
I can't help but think Japan gets the better part of this deal - Tokyo doesn't need to take care of these elderly people, and it gets to keep the younger workers.
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