Increased Possibility of Preserving Berlin Comfort Woman Statue... Local Council Adopts Resolution to Withdraw Demolition Order

Pressure Applied to District Office That Ordered Demolition

On the 13th of last month, citizens in Berlin, the capital of Germany, held a rally in front of the Mitte District Office to protest the authorities' removal order of the "Statue of Peace" installed on the street.

The local council adopted a resolution demanding the withdrawal of the authorities' removal order for the 'Statue of Peace' installed in Berlin, the capital of Germany.

As a result, the possibility of the statue remaining in place for the one-year installation period has increased, and a foundation for discussions on permanent installation has also been established.

The Mitte District Council of Berlin held a plenary session on the 5th and passed a resolution stating that the statue should remain as scheduled. The installation period for the statue is until August 14 of next year.

The resolution was submitted by a council member from the Pirate Party.

The resolution emphasized that "the statue productively contributes to discussions on sexual violence against women during armed conflicts."

Thirty-seven members attended the vote, with 28 in favor and 9 opposed.

Progressive parties participating in the Berlin coalition government, including the Social Democratic Party, the Green Party, and The Left, voted in favor. Two Pirate Party members also supported the resolution.

The opposing votes came from members of the Christian Democratic Union, to which Chancellor Angela Merkel belongs, the pro-business Free Democratic Party, and the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD).

The Left Party went a step further than the Pirate Party's resolution by proposing an agenda recommending the permanent installation of the statue, but it was not discussed due to time constraints.

This resolution is expected to put considerable pressure on the district office, as the Green Party, to which Mitte District Mayor Stefan von Dassel belongs, also supported it.

Previously, the Mitte District Office recognized that the statue commemorating the victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue is an international human rights issue concerning women affected by war and approved its installation in July last year.

The statue was erected on a street in the Mitte area at the end of September. It is a transit area with heavy pedestrian traffic.

However, after the installation, when Japan protested to the German government and the Berlin state government, the Mitte District Office issued a removal order on the 7th of last month.

Han Jeong-hwa, representative of the Korea Council, said on the 6th, "Although there is not yet an agreement on permanent installation in the local council, significant progress has been made," and added, "We will continue persuasion efforts targeting the authorities and political parties."

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