Minister Jeong Young-ae: "Distortion of Comfort Women Victims Continues... Expanding Historical Investigation, Research, and Activities"

30th Anniversary of Grandma Kim Hak-soon's Testimony on Victimization, 'Day of Remembrance' Online Ceremony Held
"Various Commemorative Projects to Be Promoted to Expand as a Universal Human Rights Issue"

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will hold an online commemorative ceremony on August 14th to mark the 'Day of Remembrance' for the victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery. The ministry announced that it will continue to support research and activities to clarify historical facts and raise awareness worldwide.

August 14th is a historic day when the late grandmother Kim Hak-soon first publicly testified about her experience as a 'comfort woman' in 1991. Since 2017, the government has designated this day as a national memorial day and commemorates it annually. This year’s ceremony will be held online by broadcasting a pre-produced commemorative video under the theme "30 Years of Keeping Together, With You Who Will Change the World," reflecting the 30th anniversary of Kim Hak-soon’s testimony.

President Moon Jae-in emphasized in a video message, "I pay tribute to the dedication of the grandmothers who have worked not to remain in the pain of the past but to strive for a better world. The government will do its utmost to ensure that victim-centered problem-solving is achieved."

Minister of Gender Equality and Family Jeong Young-ae said in her commemorative speech, "Despite our relentless efforts over the past 30 years to resolve the issue of Japanese military 'comfort women' and to prevent violations of women's human rights such as sexual violence during war, cases of denial and distortion of the history of Japanese military sexual slavery continue to occur both domestically and internationally."

She continued, "I feel the heavy responsibility of the government to restore the honor of the victims, uncover historical truths, and educate future generations with the correct history. Based on the achievements of the 30-year 'comfort women' movement, we plan to promote various commemorative projects to deeply consider the direction for resolving the 'comfort women' issue and to expand it as a universal human rights issue."

Minister Jeong added, "We will spare no support for research and activities to clarify historical facts and inform the world so that such history is not repeated. Through the Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Issue Research Institute, we will deepen the investigation and research of victim testimonies and ensure the collection and preservation of valuable historical materials and records such as documents, relics, and testimonies, so that they are not damaged and can serve as milestones in the history toward peace."

She also said, "Following the simultaneous release of educational English content in Korea and the U.S., exhibitions related to the victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery will be held online and offline worldwide. We will support the publication of English translations of domestic victim testimony collections and produce Korean versions of testimony collections from victims in Indonesia and East Timor, striving to enhance international consensus on the Japanese military 'comfort women' issue."

The commemorative ceremony will proceed with a thematic video expressing solidarity and action over the 30 years since the first testimony and hope for the future, followed by a commemorative performance consisting of book readings and choir performances created by youth. It reflects on the time spent together to resolve the Japanese military 'comfort women' issue and delivers a message of participation and solidarity that future generations will share and transform that memory.

The Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Issue Research Institute has launched an English webzine called 'Gyeol,' translating and providing online explanations, commentaries, roundtable discussions, and essays related to 'comfort women' that were previously available only in Korean. More than 150 key historical documents, including official documents from the Japanese military, government, and the UN that can prove historical facts related to the comfort women issue, will be produced as educational English content and simultaneously released in Korea and the United States on August 13th.

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