Halmonies' Journey to Meet Chosen Gakko Students

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Kim Bok-dong and Gil Won-ok halmonies leave for Osaka.

In 2012, two halmonies started the Butterfly Fund to support the victims of sexual violence in conflict. Halmonies announced that they would dedicate all reparations they would receive from the Japanese government to support the victims like them. As the Japanese government lingered, halmonies donated what they had first. The Butterfly Fund now supports women in Vietnam, the DRC, Uganda, the Yazidis in Northern Iraq, Palestine, and others.

Two halmonies also fund-raised for the victims of 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, especially the victims of sexual violence during the disaster. The fund delivered under-wears and sanitary pads to the victims, with halmonies’ message of solidarity and a phone number to the women’s organization that provides support to the victims.

For Korean-Japanese students who live through discriminations, halmonies visited the Chosen gakko and shared: “Don’t let the discrimination turn you down. All of you have a country. I will support you, so please do not give up.” Halmonies have supported socks, stationery, and even scholarships to the students. Since 2014, halmonies have donated 50,000,000 won to start providing scholarship (250,000 yen per person) to two students per year till they graduate.

Kim Bok-dong halmoni donated for the victims of Pohang earthquake. After the recent Typhoon Jebi, which destroyed the windows and damaged roofs of Chosen gakko, Kim Bok-dong halmoni donated 10,000,000 won and Gil Won-ok halmoni donated 3,000,000 won to help restore Chosen gakko that the Japanese government does not provide support. Citizens have joined halmonies’ will to help restore the schools for the students to continue their education.

Kim Bok-dong and Gil Won-ok halmonies leave for Osaka, to visit the Chosen gakko and deliver the fund. Kim Bok-dong halmoni proposed the journey herself saying, “I cannot overlook my duties because of my illness.” Kim Bok-dong Scholarship (김복동장학회), Kibotane Fund (희망씨앗기금), and Kansai Network for the Japanese Military ‘Comfort Women’ Issue (일본군’위안부’문제해결간사이네트워크) joined halmonies’ efforts.

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On September 27th, Kim Bok-dong halmoni gave a speech at the rally on the appeal decision on Osaka Chosen gakko, which did not find the exclusion of Chosen gakko from tuition subsidies as illegitimate. In addition to Kim Bok-dong halmoni’s words of encouragement, halmonies also delivered a fund to restore the Chosen gakkos from the typhoon damage.

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Halmonies met with Johoku Korean Elementary School student and delivered a fund to restore the school from the typhoon damage. Kim Bok-dong halmoni always shared, “There should be no student who cannot study because of money.” We sincerely wish that students in Chosen gakko can continue their education without discrimination, as halmonies’ wish.