By Lee Kyung-min
A coordinated effort by the governments and hospitals in Korea and China has successfully brought home Ha Sang-suk, a Korean victim of sexual slavery by the Japanese military.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said Sunday that the government, along with a medical team from Chung-Ang University Hospital (CAUH), brought Ha for treatment for broken ribs she sustained after falling down a flight of stairs at her home in Wuhan, Hubei Province, in February. The transfer followed her wish to return to her native country before she dies.
She was moved from a local hospital to Wuhan Tianhe International Airport by ambulance. The Chinese authorities facilitated the transfer by allowing the hospital ambulance to enter the airport’s parking ramp.
Korean Air replaced its flight between Wuhan to Incheon from the initial small B737 plane to a bigger A330, to help better accommodate her.
Engineers removed six seats in the plane so that Ha could remain on the stretcher as she was unable to sit up straight due to her injuries. The carrier also partitioned her stretcher from the rest of the seats for privacy, as well as providing seats to Ha’s family.
Four staff members from CAUH accompanied her during the journey.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided Ha and her family with expedited immigration services at Incheon International Airport, enabling her to be transferred to hospital as soon as possible.
Upon arrival, she underwent a necessary checkup before receiving treatment.
The gender ministry provided 48 million won and private organizations gave 12 million won to cover her medical bills in China. The ministry will pay additional medical bills and nursing home fees here.
Born in 1927, Ha was forced to serve as a sex slave for Japanese soldiers from the age of 17. She could not return to Korea even after the nation was liberated from Japan, and earned a living working at a textile factory in China.