High school students to put up 100 “comfort women” statues

By You Soo-sun

Students at an all-girls high school in Seoul donated 5 million won ($4,446) Monday for a campaign to support former “comfort women,” victims of sexual slavery by the Japanese before and during World War II. The students, members of a history group at Ewha Girls’ High School, began an online campaign to erect “statues of peace” at 100 schools to memorialize the victims. In about two months, more than 500 people donated 15 million won, five times the group’s initial goal of 3 million.

After erecting a Statue of Peace in 2015 at the Franciscan Education Center near its school, the student group started an online campaign to encourage other schools to join the effort. Seventy-three schools ― including 10 in Seoul, 20 in Gyeonggi Province, and three in Incheon ― agreed to put up the same statues and more than 100 have shown interest.

“It really took us by surprise,” said Seong Hwan-cheol, 41, a history teacher and adviser to the group at Ewha Girls' High School. Seong commended the online campaign that helped mobilize student communities that were previously difficult to reach. “It was an amazing experience that brought us together,” he said.

The statue, which depicts a seated woman in traditional Korean dress, is a publicly recognized symbol to remember "comfort women," around 200,000 girls and women who were forced into sexual servitude for Japanese soldiers. The first such statue was erected in 2011 outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, and now other “statues of peace” are found around the world despite the diplomatic dispute between the two countries. Recently, more statues have been erected to oppose the December 2015 comfort women deal, which is widely believed to have favored Japan.

“We took the initiative to erect the statues in response to the failed agreement between Korea and Japan in December 2015,” Seong said.

“It’s important for the next generation to be interested in and aware of our history. The statues are meant to promote that,” Seong added when asked about the significance of the movement.

A ceremony is planned for Nov. 3 after all 100 schools are designated for the installation of the statues.