Sex slave victims continue struggle

Five hundred miniature comfort woman statues are displayed in an exhibition at Cheonggye Plaza in central Seoul, Monday, marking the International Memorial Day for Comfort Women. The statues will be presented to people who donate 50,000 won or more. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

• Published Aug 14, 2017 4:45 PM KST
• Updated Aug 14, 2017 4:45 PM KST

By Kim Bo-eun

At the 1,295th weekly Wednesday rally for "comfort women" held in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, Aug. 9, ahead of Liberation Day, three victims _ Kim Bok-dong, Gil Won-wok and Lee Yong-soo _ joined around 1,500 participants gathered to call for the discarding of a controversial deal reached between Korea and Japan in 2015 and for Tokyo to offer a “proper” apology.

Korea celebrates its liberation from Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945) today.

“We cannot sit idly by. Korea now has a new president and we need to get an apology from the Japanese government to restore the victims’ honor,” Kim, 91, said at the rally in the summer heat.

In December 2015, Seoul and Tokyo agreed to put the sex slave issue to rest, with the latter providing 1 billion yen in government funds for victims. At the time, Japan offered an apology but its wording was unclear _ it did not take legal responsibility for its involvement forcing women into sexual slavery for the Japanese military; hence the nature of the fund is also seen as a form of humanitarian assistance, and not reparations.

Sex slave issue

The issue of sex slaves for the Japanese military before and during World War II came to light in 1991 after the late victim Kim Hak-sun gave testimony of her experiences. The International Memorial Day for Comfort Women was designated as Aug. 14 in 2013, celebrating Kim’s testimony.

The Wednesday rallies led by the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan began in 1992, marking the visit of former Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. Protesters urged Japan to clarify its role in the operation of military brothels and to take responsibility.

In 1993, Japan’s former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono delivered a statement recognizing the Japanese military’s involvement.

In 1995, the Japanese government founded the Asian Women’s Fund, which collected private donations to distribute monetary compensation to sex slave victims in Asia.

Each victim received 2 million yen and a signed apology from the then Japanese prime minister.

However, the payments were criticized as the funds did not come from the government.

In the 2015 deal, Japan provided government funds, but did not give a clear definition of the nature of its apology and provision of funds.

A foundation was launched in July last year to allocate the 1 billion yen to the victims.

At the time of the 2015 deal, there were 47 surviving victims. Among them 34 have received the funds and two cases are being reviewed. Nine have refused to accept the money.

The Park Geun-hye administration said it pushed through with the deal as measures to be taken before the elderly victims pass away.

There are now 37 surviving victims.

Movements under the Moon administration

With the launch of the Moon administration, Korea’s stance toward the sex slave deal has shifted.

In a telephone call to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Moon said “The Korean public sentiment shows the people do not accept the deal.”

Last month, the foreign ministry drew up a taskforce to review the 2015 deal. The team, comprised of non-ministry experts, will look into why the deal was hastily concluded, and clarify the issue of comfort women statues.

There have been claims that Japan provided the 1 billion yen fund in exchange for the removal of a comfort woman statue in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.

Another team composed of officials from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is looking into the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation _ especially whether any victims who received the money were provided the funds without their consent.

Meanwhile, the Moon administration said it is pushing to have a state memorial day designated for comfort women. The move was halted after fierce opposition from the ruling party under the Park administration.

President Moon also said the government will establish a research institute and museum dedicated to Japan’s wartime sex crimes.

However, it is debatable whether the deal will actually have a chance at renegotiation. The inspection teams’ role is limited to looking into the deal and the foundation’s execution of it.

Meanwhile, most of the funds provided by Japan have already been allocated to victims. The civic group for sex slaves is stating that it will raise the 1 billion yen in funds from private donations to return to Japan.

“One million people contributing 1,000 won for 100 days will begin a move for liberation to return the 1 billion yen,” group chief Yoon Mi-hyang said.