Students lead 1,345th weekly protest against sex slavery by imperial Japan

About 500 people, mostly high school and middle school students on summer vacation, gather in front of the former Japanese embassy site in Seoul, Wednesday, to call on Japan to repent its inhumane act of forcing Korean girls into sexual slavery for Japanese soldiers. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

• Published Jul 25, 2018 6:36 PM KST
• Updated Jun 3, 2020 5:13 PM KST

By Jung Da-min

Their absence was conspicuous because they were supposed to be at the center of it.

In the once-in-a-century heat wave, the Wednesday protest calling on Japan to repent its inhumane act of forcing Korean girls into sexual slavery for Japanese soldiers was held as scheduled in front of the former Japanese embassy site in Seoul.

Instead of the aging former comfort women in their 80s and 90s, about 500 people, mostly high school and middle school students on summer vacation, gathered in front of the comfort woman statue. It was the 1,345th weekly protest.

Students from Gwacheon Foreign Language High School organized this week's demonstration. They are members of the school's chapter of Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK), an organization that focuses on promoting Korea's image and historical accuracy.

“We have been participating in the Wednesday demonstrations, but this time we decided to organize it,” said Lee Hye-rim and Lee Jung-min, both 18, who are VANK members. “The summer vacation started Monday and many students could participate in this week's demonstration.”

Seventeen other student organizations participated.

“Some teachers persuaded me not to participate in the event, saying this issue is too political,” said Jung Da-hee, 17, a member of The Butterfly Effect, a human rights group at a youth center in South Chungcheong Province. “But I think it should not be political and young students should be able to speak up.”

Youn Mee-hyang, president of the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, encouraged students who came from all parts of the country to participate in the demonstration amid the scorching heat.

Youn called on the government to disband a reconciliation and healing foundation established in 2016 as a result of a bilateral agreement made hastily during the Park Geun-hye administration.

“The Moon Jae-in administration should know it is the people's call to disband the reconciliation and healing foundation,” Youn said.

The Cabinet on Tuesday endorsed the creation of a fund of 10.3 billion won, provided from the national budget, for the former comfort women. Japan denounced it as a breach of the 2015 agreement in which the fund of an equal amount from Tokyo would be used.

“The government has decided to use the budget for the fund,” Gender Equality and Family Minister Chung Hyun-back said on Tuesday. “We will do our best to follow up on victim-centered measures.”

The move follows President Moon's pledge in January.