By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Two of the dwindling number of former "comfort women," sex slaves forced to serve Japanese soldiers during its colonial rule, have passed away over the past two months.
Only 86 of the 234 who have registered with the Seoul government remain. The survivors are getting older. But the Japanese government has dropped no hint of accommodating their pleas for its recognition of the crimes committed against them or for compensation.
Advocates for the women are urging the Japanese authorities to apologize for their wrongdoings in the past and teach their tragic history to their children.
Several U.N. associated bodies and international human rights advocates have championed the victims, pressuring Tokyo for an apologetic gesture.
But the Japanese authorities have turned a deaf ear for decades, taking it as a dispute that time will solve in the end.
Former comfort woman Lee Jeom-rye died of a stroke on Feb. 11, the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan said Tuesday. She was 89.
Born in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, in 1921, Lee was conscripted by the Japanese military in 1935 and worked as a sex slave for frontline soldiers.
She was freed from the nightmarish life in 1941 due to her worsening health condition. But she suffered from chronic physical diseases in following decades.
"She collapsed early this month due to a brain stroke," a council official said. "We prayed and attended to her with all the things we have. But she has gone..."
Earlier this year, another comfort woman, Kim Soon-ak, died of cancer on Jan. 2. She was 82.
"It's very regrettable that they went to heaven before seeing their years-long protest against Japan bear fruit," the official said.
According to the council and the government, 148 out of 234 women who registered with the government as "comfort women" have died. Of the 86 survivors, 78 live in Korea and the other eight in the United States, China and other countries.
The death toll has rapidly increased since 2000, the council said, indicating the life span of many of the survivors is coming to an end. Nearly 83 percent of the survivors (71) are over 80.
"Ten victims, including the two latest cases, have died in the past decade," the official said.
Lee Soon-duk, 93, the oldest survivor, said in a recent interview, "I don't know how much longer I will live. The last dream I have is to see Japan apologize and compensate us."
Another survivor Kil Won-ok, 83, emphasized, "This is something that should be solved in our generation. We cannot hand down this burden to younger generations."
Ahn Seon-mi, an executive of the council, urged the Korean government to immediately take "tougher and rigorous" actions and also seek internationally orchestrated campaigns.
"It is the least we can do to resolve the deep-hearted sorrow of those who scarified their entire lives on our behalf."
pss@koreatimes.co.kr
