UN Human Rights Chief Meets Former Sex Slaves in Seoul

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein met the victims of the imperial Japanese Army's sex slavery on Wednesday.

On the previous day, Zeid attended the opening of a UN field office in Seoul that will monitor and collect information on North Korea's human rights abuses.

At a museum in Seoul run by a civic group to deal with human rights issues, he hugged three victims of Japan's military sex slavery: Kim Bok-dong (89), Gil Won-ok (86), Lee Yong-soo (86), and pledged to help solve the issue, reflecting their wishes.

Zeid is the first UN human rights chief to visit South Korea in 11 years. He said that the three old women were more important than any senior officials he was going to meet in Seoul. Despite the horrible pain they suffered, they are enthusiastic about helping those who are suffering in many parts of the world, he added.

It remains to be seen if his remarks will put some pressure on the far-right Abe administration and shift its stance.