[Report] "Japan Apologize" vs "Comfort Women Lies" Counter-Protests in Front of the Statue of a Girl, How Long Will It Continue?

Justice Society vs Conservative Groups... Months of Standoff
Human Rights Commission Recommends "Do Not Interfere with Wednesday Demonstrations"
Heated Debates Among Rally Participants on Site

On the afternoon of the 16th, the 1531st regular Wednesday rally is taking place in front of Somerset Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by intern reporter Kim Jeong-wan kjw106@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Jeong-wan] "Japan must actively apologize to us!" "Remove the Statue of Peace!"

The regular Wednesday demonstration organized by the Justice and Memory Solidarity (Jeong-ui-yeon) to resolve the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery was once again unable to take place in front of the Statue of Peace on this day (Wednesday, the 16th) due to conservative groups occupying the location.

The Wednesday demonstration began on January 8, 1992, when members of the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (now Justice and Memory Solidarity) held a protest in front of the Japanese Embassy in Korea ahead of then-Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa's visit to Korea. The demonstration itself has been a powerful cry directed at Japan throughout its history.

However, since 2020, conflicts have arisen between the Wednesday demonstration organizers and conservative groups over the venue in front of the Statue of Peace. Now, with counter-demonstrations effectively taking place side by side, citizens attending each group's rallies voiced sharp tensions.

Citizens attending the Wednesday demonstration shouted slogans such as "There is no victimhood, our speaking continues," and "The world has already changed, we are common sense," repeatedly urging, "The Korean government must actively step up to restore victims' honor, protect human rights, and conduct systematic fact-finding investigations."

Additionally, Shin Min-si, the organizing director of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Service Federation, who attended the rally, raised her voice, saying, "I came from the labor union. I heard the Wednesday demonstration scene here is too chaotic, so I came to lend support."

A participant in a rally organized by a conservative group is holding a sign that reads "We Are Friends," featuring the Taegeukgi and the Rising Sun flags. Photo by Kim Jeongwan, intern reporter kjw106@asiae.co.kr

As the voices of those attending the Wednesday demonstration grew louder, nearby conservative groups shouted slogans such as "What is anti-Japan in these times?" and "Disband Jeong-ui-yeon, fraudulent history will collapse." In response, a high school student attending the Wednesday demonstration shouted, "They keep yelling over there. Let's yell too," and cried out, "Japan must actively apologize to us."

Earlier, conservative groups have continued to file notifications to hold rallies in front of the Statue of Peace following allegations that independent lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang misappropriated donations to Jeong-ui-yeon. Yoon is currently on trial for allegedly using funds meant for comfort women victims for personal purposes.

A woman in her mid-50s attending the conservative rally said, "Isn't it the (Beijing) Olympics period?" and added, "Like the friendship between athlete Lee Sang-hwa and athlete Kodaira, I came with the intention that we should now overcome the past and move forward anew."

Choi, a man in his late 60s, stated, "It is wrong to worsen Korea-Japan relations without considering national interests," and said, "I attended to clear the fraud of past history and for our country."

Meanwhile, on the 17th of last month, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) stated, "Urgent relief measures are necessary regarding the police's lukewarm attitude and response to the obstruction of the Wednesday demonstration," and expressed that the police should actively encourage opposing rallies not to overlap in time and place to prevent interference with the Wednesday demonstration. However, conservative groups have filed complaints against the NHRCK, further escalating tensions on the ground.

A rally urging the cessation of comfort women fraud, hosted by a conservative group, is taking place near the Wednesday rally. Photo by Kim Jeongwan, intern reporter kjw106@asiae.co.kr

On the 9th, the conservative coalition Comfort Women Fraud Eradication Solidarity, composed of groups such as the Liberty Solidarity, Anti-Japan Statue Truth Investigation Joint Countermeasure Committee, and National Action for the Abolition of the Comfort Women Law, filed a complaint against NHRCK Chairman Song Doo-hwan for abuse of authority and obstruction of rights and violations of the Assembly and Demonstration Act, calling the NHRCK's measures an abuse of power.

At the conservative rally, Joo Ok-soon, representative of the Mom Corps, said, "It is indeed abuse of authority," and added, "There is the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. According to the Constitution, we file assembly notifications with the Jongno Police Station in order of priority, and we are first in line. But Jeong-ui-yeon ignores the police and the Constitution and violates legal order by preventing our rally, which is unacceptable."

The two camps?the Wednesday demonstration and the conservative groups?also differed in their expectations of presidential candidates. The Wednesday demonstration side raised voices for resolving the atrocities committed by Japan. In contrast, the conservative groups claimed that what Jeong-ui-yeon demands is not true.

Lee Na-young, director of Jeong-ui-yeon, pointed out, "(Regarding presidential candidates) there is neither a clear will nor concrete promises or actions to resolve the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery," and urged, "I hope they take the lead in pursuing truth and justice."

Representative Joo said, "We formally requested candidates to respond to 'comfort women are lies, and we want answers about these lies.' But there has been no response yet," and urged, "Whether ruling or opposition parties, candidates must answer about the comfort women issue."

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