Sexual slavery survivor named as freedom fighter
A photo of Kim Bok-dong, a sexual slavery survivor, is seen in a photo book published by Reporters Without Borders and AFP. / Yonhap
By Kim Se-jeong
Kim Bok-dong, a woman forced into sexual slavery survivor during World War II, has been chosen as one of the world’s 100 activists for press freedom.
The Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan ― a Seoul-based NGO that advocates for rights for such women ― said Sunday that Reporters Without Borders (RWB) and AFP picked the 90-year-old as one of “100 Heros pour la Liberte de la Presse.”
RWB is a France-based non-profit organization that advocates freedom of expression for journalists around the world. Together with news agency AFP, it selected 100 recognizable activists around the world and profiled them in a photo book, on the occasion of its 30th anniversary and AFP’s 70th.
“Kim’s activities were recognized by journalists around the world. We thank Kim for her efforts,” Yoon Mi-hyang, director of the council, said.
She was listed with other heroes including Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr., the Dalai Lama, Aung San Suu Kyi, Jean Cabut, Julian Assange and Edward Snowden.
Kim is one of 52 Korean survivors of the sexual slavery enforced by the Japanese military during World War II. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is among the strongest deniers of the Japanese military’s involvement in such slavery, arguing that these women voluntarily joined the military in order to make money and are victims of sexual trafficking.
The photo in the book shows Kim delivering a speech at the 1,000th weekly rally in front of the Japanese Embassy in December 2011. Kim is a regular at the ongoing rally held every Wednesday.
The caption reads: “The majority of 200,000 Asian women taken by the Japanese military to provide sex to Japanese troops between 1938 and 1945 were Koreans. Since 1992, survivors have demand an apology and compensation from the Japanese government, which disregards their demands.”
Born in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, she was picked up by Japanese military officers who said they needed her at a military uniform factory in 1941 when she was 14.
She returned home eight years later, and lived alone running her own business. Her life changed after she notified the government in 1992 that she was a survivor. One year later, she testified about her experiences at the United Nations, the first survivor to do so. Despite deteriorating health, she is one of the most active survivors, traveling around the world to raise awareness of the issue.
Her struggle to get Japan to apologize and give compensation is running out of time, as survivors are getting older. Their average age is 88. Last Thursday, another survivor passed away, which leaves 52 Korean survivors.
It is not clear exactly how many were forced to provide sex to Japanese soldiers during the war. It is estimated at 200,000, mainly from Korea, China and the Philippines, among others.