Grandmother Lee Yong-soo's Second Press Conference Today... A Turning Point in the Justice Network Scandal

This Grandmother Says "Yoon Mihyang Should Step Down from the Press Conference"
Yoon the Elected Likely to Be Absent
Justice Party Activists Also Absent

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy (Daegu) = Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] As grandmother Lee Yong-soo, a victim of the Japanese military sexual slavery, has announced a second press conference, Yoon Mi-hyang, the elected member of the Democratic Party of Korea, and officials from the Justice and Memory Foundation (Jeonguiyeon) are expected not to appear at the venue. Yoon, who served as the chairperson of Jeonguiyeon, has not responded to the press by the morning of the 25th, the day of the conference, despite the grandmother's request for her attendance. Officials including Lee Na-young, the chairperson of Jeonguiyeon, have expressed their intention not to attend. However, there is a possibility that they may urgently appear due to concerns about public criticism for not attending the conference.

At a teahouse in Nam-gu, Daegu, where grandmother Lee will hold the press conference at 2 p.m. that day, reporters gathered from the morning, causing confusion in the cramped space. Through the second press conference, grandmother Lee is expected to present an advanced stance on the defamation against her by Jeonguiyeon since the first press conference on the 7th, the statements issued, and various newly revealed accounting irregularities. Furthermore, she may urge the direction of the Wednesday demonstrations and the broader comfort women movement, as well as Jeonguiyeon's resolution as the focal point of the comfort women movement. Grandmother Lee has previously demanded a shift in the comfort women movement led by the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (Jeongdaehyeop) and Jeonguiyeon towards "proper education for students." She also expressed the view that donations and sponsorship funds should be allocated more to educational projects or the welfare of the grandmothers rather than the operation of activist organizations.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Accordingly, Jeonguiyeon, which has been criticized by public opinion, is expected to face a critical moment to decide its survival after grandmother Lee's second press conference. Some interpret that Yoon and Jeonguiyeon’s attitude of trying to persuade grandmother Lee without a proper explanation regarding the accounting fraud allegations led her to decide on the second press conference. Shortly after the spread of the accounting fraud suspicions, on the 13th, grandmother Lee demanded improvements in the comfort women movement and business methods through her Facebook and other channels, even mentioning Yoon’s resignation from her parliamentary position. Lee Joo-seong, director of the Forced Mobilization Victims’ Families Cooperative, said, "We are in a position that legal action against Yoon must be ensured," adding, "Despite the recent severe mental stress, grandmother Lee has important messages she must convey through the press conference."

Yoon and Jeonguiyeon appeared to be preoccupied with defending against the allegations raised from the beginning. Right after the first press conference, Yoon claimed, "I realized the grandmother’s memory had changed," attributing it to cognitive impairment due to old age. Jeonguiyeon also released a statement from founding members of Jeongdaehyeop at the Wednesday demonstration on the 20th, stating, "Accounting fraud is impossible at Jeonguiyeon." However, Professor Yoon Jung-ok, an honorary professor at Ewha Womans University whose name was on the statement, said, "I didn’t even know the statement was released and was never contacted," drawing public criticism.

Meanwhile, since the investigation of the accused must take place before the opening of the 21st National Assembly next month, when Yoon’s term as a member of the National Assembly begins, the prosecution is expected to summon Yoon within this week. A prosecution official said, "We cannot confirm the exact timing."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.