Jeonguiyeon Accounting Manager: "Japanese Comfort Women Movement Faces Difficult Conditions but Continues Persistent Efforts" (Comprehensive)

Accounting Officer of Jeonguiyeon and Jeongdaehyeop Appeared as Witness at Yoon Mihyang's Third Trial

Independent lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang, who has been indicted on charges including embezzlement of funds from the Justice Memory Solidarity, is entering the building to attend the third trial held at the Western District Court in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 29th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jung] The third trial of independent lawmaker Yoon Mee-hyang, who is accused of embezzling donations and subsidies while serving as a representative and chairperson at the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (Jeongdaehyeop, the predecessor of the Justice and Memory Foundation) and the Justice and Memory Foundation, was held. The accounting officer of the Justice and Memory Foundation who appeared at the trial emphasized that although there were difficulties due to differing standards among the competent authorities, subsidy-providing departments, and the National Tax Service regarding accounting treatment, they made continuous efforts.

On the 29th, at the trial of Yoon and others held at the Seoul Western District Court Criminal Division 11 (Presiding Judge Moon Byung-chan), Won, the head of the Justice and Memory Foundation’s Operations Management Bureau, who appeared as a witness, responded "made continuous efforts" to a question from Yoon’s defense attorney asking whether they worked hard despite low wages and accounting difficulties to leave historical records for future generations. When the defense attorney asked, "I understand that activists related to the Japanese military comfort women issue did not receive high wages," Won replied, "It is close to the minimum wage," adding, "In the past, there were cases where even the minimum wage was not paid, but currently efforts are being made not to violate that."

Won joined the Justice and Memory Foundation’s predecessor, the Justice and Memory Foundation, in 2016. After the integration in July 2018, he moved to Jeongdaehyeop, which maintained a separate legal entity, and was in charge of accounting until early 2019. He is currently working at the Justice and Memory Foundation.

When the prosecution asked how they could detect cases where false business titles were entered in the 'transaction details' section of bank transfers to reimburse expenses, Won dismissed it, saying, "There are no such cases." Another accounting officer of Jeongdaehyeop testified in a previous trial that it was common for project managers to first pay out of their own money or discuss necessary parts and then reimburse later, using a 'prepayment and post-reimbursement' method for public funds.

Questioning about the 'Anseong Shelter,' a resting place for comfort women operated by the Justice and Memory Foundation, also continued. The prosecution pointed out, "From January 2014, the A Party Suwon City Party Member Council and the B newspaper company located in Suwon used the Anseong Shelter," adding, "Groups unrelated to the Justice and Memory Foundation also used the shelter." Won responded, "I understand they are solidarity organizations," and "Newspaper companies also show solidarity."

The defense emphasized that during Yoon’s tenure as chairperson, checks and balances were in place within the organization and management was transparent. When Yoon’s defense attorney asked, "Did the Justice and Memory Foundation and Jeongdaehyeop each have operating committees or planning committees, appoint multiple members to raise agenda items, and have the board of directors make the final decisions in the decision-making structure?" Won answered, "Yes." When asked, "Did all agenda items raised by the operating committee, including then-chairperson Yoon Mee-hyang, pass the board without exception?" Won said, "Even agenda items raised by the operating committee were sometimes rejected or required revisions and supplements."

The prosecution also disclosed that in 2016 and 2017, Jeongdaehyeop paid Yoon approximately 24 million won in severance pay in two installments. Won responded that since Yoon had not resigned, it was an interim settlement, but added that he was not working at Jeongdaehyeop at the time and therefore did not know the details precisely.

The trial lasted about four hours and thirty minutes. The prosecution and defense raised their voices sharply over key issues such as private embezzlement allegations.

Yoon was indicted last September on eight charges including fraud, violation of the Act on the Management of Subsidies, the Local Finance Act, the Act on the Collection and Use of Donations, and embezzlement in the course of duties. The next hearing is scheduled for November 19.

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