Professor Ryu Seok-chun, Who Made 'Comfort Women Prostitution' Remarks, Sent to Prosecution on Defamation Charges

Professor Ryu Seok-chun of Yonsei University Department of Sociology (right), who caused a controversy by stating that Japanese military 'comfort women' were a form of prostitution [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Ryu Seok-chun (65), a professor in the Department of Sociology at Yonsei University, who was reported by civic groups for stating during a lecture that Japanese military comfort women were "a form of prostitution," has been referred to the prosecution.

On the 1st, the Seodaemun Police Station in Seoul announced that it had sent Professor Ryu to the prosecution with a recommendation for indictment the previous day on charges of defamation.

During a lecture on the major subject "Development Sociology" in the Department of Sociology at Yonsei University on September 19 last year, Professor Ryu said, "(The direct perpetrator related to comfort women) is not Japan (government)," and added, "(Comfort women are) a form of prostitution." When students asked, "Does that mean the comfort women victims went voluntarily?" Professor Ryu explained that even now, the process of entering prostitution is partly voluntary and partly coerced, and retorted to a student, "If you're curious, do you want to try it once?"

Professor Ryu offered an explanation, saying, "The comfort women issue requires verifying the facts. I did not encourage students to engage in prostitution but rather asked them to investigate it."

Earlier, the Justice and Memory Solidarity, a support group for comfort women victims, and civic groups such as the Committee for the People's Livelihood Measures filed complaints and accusations against Professor Ryu, claiming that he distorted history and defamed the victims. The police concluded that Professor Ryu's remarks constituted defamation by spreading false information and sent the case to the prosecution with a non-prosecution opinion on charges of insult.

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