The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
Biz & Tech
  • Auto
  • IT
  • Game
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail & Food
  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Airlines
Finance
  • Policies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Banks
  • Non-banks
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Arts
  • Books
  • Travel & Cuisine
  • Trend
  • Fashion
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
  • K-pop
  • K-dramas & Shows
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Performances
  • Asia Model Festival
Sports
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Baseball
  • Other Sports
World
  • Asia Pacific
  • Americas
  • Europe & Africa
  • SCMP
Video
  • On the Spot
  • Feature
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
Community
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Tue, March 9, 2021 | 00:52
Thoughts of the Times
How surviving Korean 'comfort women' cope with COVID-19 crisis
Posted : 2020-06-22 17:17
Updated : 2020-06-24 04:01
Mail
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
By Maija Devine

The COVID-19 crisis of seeing bodies piling up too furiously fast to be properly buried around the globe is sending shockwaves. Amid countless dire concerns, one must ask, how are the former Korean "comfort women" of WWII coping? Over 75 years ago, they survived a completely different kind of "pandemic" ― being rounded up by the Japanese military and shoved into brothels ("comfort stations") in over a dozen countries.

The House of Sharing blog (nanum.org), last updated in 2018, describes visits by staff to 16 Korean former sex slaves, living in various towns throughout South Korea. Since then, four of them have passed away (two deaths were reported in The New York Times, Jan. 29, 2019), leaving 12. Five other survivors live in the House of Sharing, a residential facility managed by the Museum of Sexual Slavery by the Japanese Military, located south of Seoul.

The former sex slaves are called "halmeoni" ("grandma" in Korean), as this familial title conveys human dignity and warmth ― unlike "comfort women" or "sex slaves." The five "grandmas" range in ages from 90 to 104.

The social isolation supported by the staff has reduced the number of visitors and so far kept the grandmas COVID free. Also, after the grandmas' devastating accusations of their leading support organization mishandling funds, the women are boycotting participation in the weekly Wednesday rallies held since 1992 in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul. This change allows them a break from their high-profile life.

Two of the residents of the House suffer from Alzheimer's. Once an exceptionally warm-hearted person, one is now bed-ridden. Last March, holding my hands for a long time, she asked me to share her bowl of grapes. She delighted visitors by singing popular tunes such as "Tears at Mokpo Harbor." The other stricken grandma is still up and about. Not too long ago, she showed me her corn, cabbage and sesame seed plants in her vegetable garden.

While fervently wishing them all continued health, one cannot avoid reflecting again on the military "pandemic" carried out by Japan that forced a living hell on over 200,000 young women. According to the Testimonies of Comfort Women (as told in five volumes from the Korean Council for Women Drafted into Military Sexual Slavery, published between 1993 and 2003), each woman gritted her teeth through an average of 15 sex acts with Japanese soldiers daily ― and 45 to 50 over two-day weekends. Even if one takes drastically lower estimates ― considering conflicting views of scholars and the women's occasional downtimes for reasons, including gaps between the moving front lines and new arrivals of soldiers ― and go with only 5 times per a week day and 45 for the weekends, the total accounts for 70 times per week/3,640 per year. The House of Sharing residents' ages at the beginning of their lives as comfort women ranged from 27 to 12 years old.

What resilience! What "mooshoe mokseum" (iron necks)!

If the old saying, "inmyong jaechun" (life rests with heaven), holds true, heaven calls the shots on the timing of a human's life and death ― and these survivors have so far outlived WWII, the Korean War and the threat of nuclear apocalypse by North Korea. Now, they face COVID-19.
May all "grandmas," publicly known or not, living throughout the world, ride in their own sweet time, the "sweet chariots" to "swing low" for them ― long after COVID-19 bites the dust.


The writer is a lecturer of the Continuum College, University of Washington and author of "The Voices of Heaven," and a poetry book "Long Walks on Short Days. She can be reached at maijadevine@gmail.com.














 
 
  • All 85,000 foreign workers in Gyeonggi ordered to take virus test before March 22
  • Is Pfizer considering exit from Korean market?
  • South Korea, US reach defense cost-sharing agreement
  • Gov't finds no correlation between deaths and COVID-19 vaccine
  • Seoul still faces complications despite defense cost-sharing deal
  • Another delivery worker dies from apparent overwork
  • French billionaire politician Olivier Dassault dies in helicopter crash
  • Swiss citizens back proposal to ban face coverings in public
  • Enhanced awareness on rights interrupt animal-related businesses
  • New virus cases under 400
  • 'Mr. Queen' star Na In-woo to replace Ji Soo in 'River Where the Moon Rises' after bullying scandal 'Mr. Queen' star Na In-woo to replace Ji Soo in 'River Where the Moon Rises' after bullying scandal
  • BTS to become 1st Korean nominee to perform at upcoming Grammy Awards BTS to become 1st Korean nominee to perform at upcoming Grammy Awards
  • 'Penthouse 2' ratings soar to new high 'Penthouse 2' ratings soar to new high
  • Psy's 'Gangnam Style' becomes first K-pop song to hit 4 billion views on YouTube Psy's 'Gangnam Style' becomes first K-pop song to hit 4 billion views on YouTube
  • Meghan says she contemplated suicide, alleges royal racism Meghan says she contemplated suicide, alleges royal racism
DARKROOM
  • Bloody Sunday in Myanmar

    Bloody Sunday in Myanmar

  • Earth is suffering

    Earth is suffering

  • NASA's Perseverance rover is landing on Mars

    NASA's Perseverance rover is landing on Mars

  • Fun in the snow, sledding for everyone

    Fun in the snow, sledding for everyone

  • Our children deserve better: Part 3

    Our children deserve better: Part 3

  • About Korea Times
  • CEO Message
  • Times History
  • Content Sales
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Location
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • 고충처리인
  • hankookilbo
  • Dongwha Group
  • Code of Ethics
Copyright