A surviving group of South Koreans enslaved by Japan during World War II said Tuesday they will file a lawsuit against the Tokyo government unless it issues a formal apology and provides legal compensation.

The “comfort women” said they plan to file a lawsuit claiming $20 million to the San Francisco court against Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Emperor Akihito, Japanese media who called them “prostitutes” and Japanese companies accused of war crimes.

“The Japanese government continues to reduce or distort facts about comfort women. We wish to file a lawsuit to find a solid solution to this issue,” said Kim Hyung-jin, the legal representative of the comfort women at a news conference held at the House of Sharing ― a shelter in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province for the surviving former sex slaves. The media meeting was held a day after leaders of the two countries urged to move forward in marking the 50th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral ties.

“The Japanese government keeps derogating the victimized women, who are still suffering from the pain inflicted 70 years ago, so we have no choice but to hold (the Japan) accountable.”

But the former comfort women will drop their actions if Japan decides to apologize by July, Kim said. He urged Japan to hurry with the apology as few of them remain.

The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan and other surviving victims also held a rally in front of the Japanese Embassy in central Seoul, calling on the Abe administration to apologize for its past atrocities and make due compensation. They also urged the Korean government that there can be no mutual cooperation between the two countries unless the issues of the past are resolved.

The Japanese imperial military is estimated to have forced as many as 200,000 women from all over Asia into sex slavery for its soldiers during the World War II. As of now, 238 Korean victims are registered by the government, 50 of whom are still alive.

The Abe administration was recently criticized for portraying them as victims of “human trafficking,” which was deemed in Korea as an attempt to undercut Tokyo’s direct involvement.

“What we are demanding is for the Japanese emperor to kneel before us and apologize, before the last of us are dead,” said former comfort woman Lee Ok-sun. She also urged the government to aid their effort in getting the decades-overdue apology.

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, who returned from Japan on Monday after a two-day visit, said any solution for the sex slave issue should meet the expectations of the victims and the international community. His visit was to mend the thorny relationship between the two countries that recently soured further amid historical and territorial disputes.

“The important thing is to restore the honor of the 50 comfort women before they pass away and for the two countries to make this (resolving comfort women issue) an opportunity to develop their relationship,” he said.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)