A Korean woman is joining forces with a California congressman in an effort to get a formal apology from Japan for the forced sexual slavery of thousands of women during World War II, NBC11 reported. The girls were known as "comfort women."

Victims say they were beaten and repeatedly raped in camps set up to provide services for Japanese soldiers during the war.

Los Angeles reporter Colleen Williams interviewed Lee Yong-Soo, a Korean woman who says she is a survivor who's life was trampled after she was forced to join the ranks of the comfort women of World War II.

Now almost 80 years old, Lee is traveling from Korea to Washington, D.C., to support a bill that seeks a formal apology from Japan.

She said she also wants an apology she insists is more than 60 years overdue.

Lee will be in the Bay Area this weekend.

She has a meeting scheduled with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom Saturday.

On Monday, she will be in Chinatown for a petition drive at the Four Seas Restaurant.

Monday's event will also include the reading of testimonies from other sex slaves.

Rep. Ed Royce of Fullerton introduced the bill, HR 121.

He said he is hoping it will shed light on a dark period of history and bring a small amount of justice to women who were victimized by the Japanese military.

The bill's supporters say some 200,000 women were taken from their homes and forced to perform sexual services for Japanese soldiers.

The Japanese prime minister has made apologetic comments regarding the treatment of these comfort women.

But HR121 supporters insist the Japanese government will have only taken responsibility when the prime minister makes a formal statement in a session of the Japanese parliament and that statement is approved by the cabinet.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on HR 121 by the end of July, NBC11 reported.

For more information visit the Web sites:

Ed Royce R-California

Support 121



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