<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-and-south-korea-should-reunite-say-70-seoul-citizens-270181">South Korea</a>'s Constitutional Court dismissed on Friday an appeal by a group of women forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels to strike down an agreement signed by the two countries to settle claims over the abuse.

The ruling is expected to have little impact on the 2015 agreement as it has been effectively abandoned by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has called it seriously flawed and inadequate to resolve the issue that has been for many years a source of rancour between the neighbours.

Constitutional Court President Yoo Nam-Seok said the agreement was a political one that tried to resolve the comfort women issue and, unlike a treaty between two countries, did not create legal responsibilities on the part of the governments.

Comfort women is a euphemism for the thousands of girls and women, most of them Korean, who were forced to work in Japan's brothels before and during World War Two when Japan occupied Korea.

"It cannot be said that the rights of the victims of the Japanese military were infringed upon by this agreement," Yoo said in the court's ruling.

Bitterness over Japan's occupation of the Korean peninsula is a major influence on their relations and has been at the heart of rancour this year that has seen their ties plunge to their worst in decades.

The 2015 agreement, reached by Moon's conservative predecessor, Park Geun-Hye, and Japanese <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-meets-japans-abe-in-beijing-calls-for-advancing-bilateral-ties-269799">Prime Minister Shinzo Abe</a>, was welcomed by the United States at the time as an important step towards reconciliation.

But surviving comfort women saw it as unjust and the constitutional petition was brought by 29 of them, and 12 of their families.

They argued that it violated their rights as they were not consulted when the governments agreed to close the matter as "irreversibly resolved" with an apology by Japan and a 1 billion yen&nbsp;fund to compensate the women.

"This could have been an opportunity to address their pain," said Rhee Dong-Joon, a lawyer representing the women.

"It is disappointing that the Constitutional Court failed to bring closure to their hurting.”

The ruling comes after Moon and Abe held talks for the first time in 15 months on Tuesday and stressed the need to improve ties, after the worst period of tension between the countries in decades when South Korean anger over Japans' wartime behaviour spilt into the trade arena.

Last week, Japan partially eased curbs put in place in July on the export of key high-tech material to South Korea. The trade restrictions were followed by the two countries removing each other from their list of favoured trade partners.

No one knows how many Koreans were forced to work in Japan's military brothels.

South Korean activists say there may have been as many as 200,000 Korean victims, only a few of whom have ever told of the abuse they endured at the hands of Japanese forces.

Since the early 1990s, nearly 250 women came forward to talk about their experiences. Only 20 of them survive.

South Korea's Constitutional Court dismissed on Friday an appeal by a group of women forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels to strike down an agreement signed by the two countries to settle claims over the abuse.

South Korea's Constitutional Court dismissed on Friday an appeal by a group of women forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels to strike down an agreement signed by the two countries to settle claims over the abuse. The ruling is expected to have little impact on the 2015 agreement as it has been effectively abandoned by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has called it seriously flawed and inadequate to resolve the issue that has been for many years a source of rancour between the neighbours. Constitutional Court President Yoo Nam-Seok said the agreement was a political one that tried to resolve the comfort women issue and, unlike a treaty between two countries, did not create legal responsibilities on the part of the governments. Comfort women is a euphemism for the thousands of girls and women, most of them Korean, who were forced to work in Japan's brothels before and during World War Two when Japan occupied Korea. "It cannot be said that the rights of the victims of the Japanese military were infringed upon by this agreement," Yoo said in the court's ruling. Bitterness over Japan's occupation of the Korean peninsula is a major influence on their relations and has been at the heart of rancour this year that has seen their ties plunge to their worst in decades. The 2015 agreement, reached by Moon's conservative predecessor, Park Geun-Hye, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, was welcomed by the United States at the time as an important step towards reconciliation. But surviving comfort women saw it as unjust and the constitutional petition was brought by 29 of them, and 12 of their families. They argued that it violated their rights as they were not consulted when the governments agreed to close the matter as "irreversibly resolved" with an apology by Japan and a 1 billion yen fund to compensate the women. "This could have been an opportunity to address their pain," said Rhee Dong-Joon, a lawyer representing the women. "It is disappointing that the Constitutional Court failed to bring closure to their hurting.” The ruling comes after Moon and Abe held talks for the first time in 15 months on Tuesday and stressed the need to improve ties, after the worst period of tension between the countries in decades when South Korean anger over Japans' wartime behaviour spilt into the trade arena. Last week, Japan partially eased curbs put in place in July on the export of key high-tech material to South Korea. The trade restrictions were followed by the two countries removing each other from their list of favoured trade partners. No one knows how many Koreans were forced to work in Japan's military brothels. South Korean activists say there may have been as many as 200,000 Korean victims, only a few of whom have ever told of the abuse they endured at the hands of Japanese forces. Since the early 1990s, nearly 250 women came forward to talk about their experiences. Only 20 of them survive.

South Korea’s top court dismisses 'comfort women' petition against deal with Japan

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-korean-president-moon-jae-ins-popularity-ends-2018-at-its-lowest-rating-187462">South Korea</a>'s exports reached a record high last year of $605.47 billion, 5.5 per cent more than in 2017, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy reported on Tuesday.

According to official data, South Korean imports totalled $534.99 billion in 2018, 11.8 per cent more than in 2017, resulting in a trade surplus of $70.48 billion, marking the 10th consecutive year with a surplus.

It is the first time in South Korea's history that exports have exceeded $600 billion, the Yonhap news agency reported. These volumes make the country the world´s sixth-largest exporter.

The ministry also noted that microprocessor exports reached a record high of $126.7 billion last year.

China remains the main market for South Korean exports, which were worth $162.2 billion last year, 14.2 per cent more than in 2017.

China remains the main market for South Korean exports.

South Korea's exports reached a record high last year of $605.47 billion, 5.5 per cent more than in 2017, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy reported on Tuesday. According to official data, South Korean imports totalled $534.99 billion in 2018, 11.8 per cent more than in 2017, resulting in a trade surplus of $70.48 billion, marking the 10th consecutive year with a surplus. It is the first time in South Korea's history that exports have exceeded $600 billion, the Yonhap news agency reported. These volumes make the country the world´s sixth-largest exporter. The ministry also noted that microprocessor exports reached a record high of $126.7 billion last year. China remains the main market for South Korean exports, which were worth $162.2 billion last year, 14.2 per cent more than in 2017.

South Korea's exports reach record high in 2018

The popularity rating of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-wants-more-summits-with-moon-jae-in-next-year-south-korea-president-office-187315">South Korean President </a>closed 2018 at its worst, amid an economic slowdown in the country and an alleged case of spying on civilians by a former official in the presidential office, a report said on Monday.

Support for Moon Jae-in stood at 45.9 per cent, according to the survey conducted by Realmeter, the Yonhap news agency reported.

The decline comes at a time when South Korea is experiencing an economic slump and has been marked by the recent publication of reports that a former researcher collected information on civilians while working for the presidential office.

Moon's approval rating soared to over 70 per cent in the first week of January, when the thaw in relations between the two Koreas began to develop after the conciliatory New Year message from North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un and reached a peak of 77.4 per cent just after the inter-Korean summit on April 27.

The popularity of the president fell to 53.1 per cent in mid-September due to signs of economic slowdown in the country. The forecasts for economic growth for the fourth-largest economy in Asia for this year have been cut to 2.7 per cent, below the 3 per cent predicted by the government at the beginning of the year.

Although Moon's popularity rating shot up again to 65.3 per cent two weeks later, after the third summit between Moon and Kim held in Pyongyang, the rating has been in continuous decline since October.

The index dropped below the 50 per cent barrier at the end of November, in the midst of the slowdown in the economy, reaching its current level, the worst since Moon became president in May 2017.

Support for Moon Jae-in stood at 45.9 per cent, according to the survey conducted by Realmeter, the Yonhap news agency reported.

The popularity rating of South Korean President closed 2018 at its worst, amid an economic slowdown in the country and an alleged case of spying on civilians by a former official in the presidential office, a report said on Monday. Support for Moon Jae-in stood at 45.9 per cent, according to the survey conducted by Realmeter, the Yonhap news agency reported. The decline comes at a time when South Korea is experiencing an economic slump and has been marked by the recent publication of reports that a former researcher collected information on civilians while working for the presidential office. Moon's approval rating soared to over 70 per cent in the first week of January, when the thaw in relations between the two Koreas began to develop after the conciliatory New Year message from North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un and reached a peak of 77.4 per cent just after the inter-Korean summit on April 27. The popularity of the president fell to 53.1 per cent in mid-September due to signs of economic slowdown in the country. The forecasts for economic growth for the fourth-largest economy in Asia for this year have been cut to 2.7 per cent, below the 3 per cent predicted by the government at the beginning of the year. Although Moon's popularity rating shot up again to 65.3 per cent two weeks later, after the third summit between Moon and Kim held in Pyongyang, the rating has been in continuous decline since October. The index dropped below the 50 per cent barrier at the end of November, in the midst of the slowdown in the economy, reaching its current level, the worst since Moon became president in May 2017.

South Korean president Moon Jae-in's popularity ends 2018 at its lowest rating

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South Korea’s top court dismisses 'comfort women' petition against deal with Japan

South Korea's exports reach record high in 2018

South Korean president Moon Jae-in's popularity ends 2018 at its lowest rating