North Texan activist’s mission: Raising awareness of wartime sex slavery victims in US
Sinmin Pak, founder of Unforgotten Butterflies, a nonprofit raising awarness of wartime sex slavery, holds the hands of a memorial statue at St. Mary's Square in San Francisco, Calif., Sept. 19. The statue commemorates victims of wartime sex slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army. Korea Times photo by Park Jin-hai
A butterfly bracelet created by Sinmin Pak’s nonprofit Unforgotten Butterflies, honoring victims of wartime sex slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army / Captured from Pak’s facebook
SAN FRANCISCO — Standing beside a statue commemorating the victims of wartime sexual enslavement by the Imperial Japanese Army at St. Mary’s Square in San Francisco, Sinmin Pak finds herself swept back to 2017, when she attended its unveiling.
For Pak, the founder of Unforgotten Butterflies, every visit is a poignant reminder of the painful history these women endured, and her mission to ensure it is never forgotten.
She recalled distributing butterfly bracelets to an American couple who visited the park and sharing the stories of the thousands of women across Asia — many from Korea — who were forced into wartime sex slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army during the 1930s and 1940s, euphemistically referred to as “comfort women.” The couple, like many visitors, had stumbled upon the statue without knowing its significance.
Pak explained the symbolism of the bracelets: Like butterflies that go through many hardships before taking flight in their beautiful form, survivors of wartime sex enslavement endured immense pain, but that suffering did not diminish their beauty — in fact, it made them even stronger and more beautiful.
“The couple happily took the butterfly bracelets I gave and promised to explain their meaning to others when asked. The most rewarding part of this advocacy is meeting people who knew nothing about comfort women, informing them and seeing them in turn want to share and spread the story themselves,” she said during an interview with The Korea Times on Sept. 19, at the park where the memorial statue is located.
“By wearing these bracelets, people remember the victims’ pain, share and feel it together, and become their voices and faces — which is why I give them out and take photos,” she said.
Lee Ok-seon, a wartime sex slavery victim and advocate, is seen in a 2016 visit to North Texas in this file photo. Captured from Pak's Facebook
Amplifying survivor voices
Pak’s journey began at a college in California in the 1990s, when she first learned about Japan’s military sex slavery during a course on Asian history. The revelations were so disturbing she could hardly finish the related readings. For years, news about survivors and their passing brought her guilt and heartache, but life as a stay-at-home mom kept the memories at bay.
Losing both her parents reignited that sense of urgency.
“After my parents died, I realized life is short. If I don’t do something about this issue before I die, I’ll regret it,” Pak recalled.
The pain of losing family became the fuel for her activism, culminating in Unforgotten Butterflies, a nonprofit she founded in 2018 dedicated to education, advocacy and remembrance of sexual violence.
In 2016, Pak organized events featuring talks in North Texas by Lee Ok-seon, a former sex slavery victim and advocate, who was then in her 80s. Lee’s words left a deep impression on the American students, unfamiliar with this chapter of history.
“Lee told her story and said to students, ‘Because my country was weak, I suffered these things and because my country is still weak and hasn’t resolved this, I’m traveling the world at this age, telling my story and asking for help.’ After her talk, students hugged her and cried,” Pak said, recalling the powerful moment.
The battle for recognition is far from over. The Japanese government maintains its military never systematically forced women into sex slavery, saying there is a lack of evidence and any offenses were covered by previous reparations. Lee, who passed away in May at the age of 97, like other survivors across the Asia-Pacific, never received an official apology from Japan.
Pak and organizations like hers continue to demand a formal apology and greater global awareness of the issue. Pak, also serving as president of the Dallas Korean Cultural Foundation, has expanded her advocacy with film screenings, survivor talks and campus events.
The mayor of Carrollton, Texas, recognized Aug. 14 as Comfort Women Memorial Day in 2022, and Pak has also welcomed support from figures like former U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, a longtime champion of victims’ rights.
Members of Unforgotten Butterflies, a nonprofit honoring victims of wartime sex slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army, hold a banner promoting Aug. 14 as International Memorial Day for "Comfort Women" in this undated photo. Captured from Facebook
Legacy carried in butterflies
Pak acknowledges that global recognition on this issue is difficult to achieve. She recalls inviting a Cambodian woman to an event, only to discover the guest didn’t know Cambodia had its own survivors. It’s a moment Pak often shares to dispel the myth that wartime sexual enslavement is a uniquely Korean issue.
“At our events, we always emphasize this isn’t about blaming any one nation,” she said. “There were Japanese comfort women, too. Our focus is on fighting for women’s rights and standing against human trafficking.”
Pak points to Texas, which consistently ranks second nationwide for human trafficking cases in the U.S., noting how the experiences of these victims — sold by family, kidnapped or tricked by job offers — mirror those of wartime sex slavery victims.
“Their stories are frighteningly similar,” Pak said.
Narcisa Claveria, left, and Estelita Dy, victims of the Japanese military's wartime sex slavery, hold a banner during a protest rally in front of the Japanese Embassy in Manila, Philippines, in this January 2023 file photo. EPA-Yonhap
She envisions a future where the history of wartime sexual violence is as familiar to Americans as Holocaust memorials, and a time when people travel to memorial sites in Asia with similar reverence and recognition.
“I truly believe ordinary people, more than those in power, have the ability to create real change by sharing genuine empathy,” Pak said. “Every single voice, every small gesture — like raindrops gathering to form an ocean — adds weight and meaning to our cause.”
Although official acknowledgments remain scarce, Pak and her fellow advocates are undeterred.
“Getting global recognition may be a long shot,” she said. “But even if I reach just one person at a time, that’s enough to spark change.”
Reflecting on survivor Lee’s visit, Pak saw it as planting a seed of remembrance — a promise she’s determined to nurture.
“I want to keep her message and spirit alive here in Dallas and help it grow far beyond North Texas. That’s my promise, and a responsibility I hope to uphold.”