Obituary for Lee Gui-nyeo halmoni

On December 14th, 2018, Lee Gui-nyeo halmoni who stayed in a nursing hospital in Yongin passed away. 

Halmoni was born in Cheongju, Chungcheongbukdo in 1926. When she was 17 or 18 years old, the head of the village said she can earn a lot of money in China. Her mother replied that halmoni should stay and get married, but the head of the village told her that she can always come back. Next day, the head of the village came back and forcibly took her, to match the “quota.”

Halmoni was taken to Rehe Province, China, and suffered from sexual slavery.

Even after Korea was liberated, no one from Rehe Province returned home. Halmoni got married and continued her life in China. She worked as a nanny and worked at a sewing factory for 15 years in Beijing. 

She always missed home. Before South Korea and China established diplomatic relationships, she always sprang out of her house when she heard others speaking in Korean. She even refused to receive aid from Korea saying that she does not want to burden the country.

After a long life in China, she came back to Korea in 2012 and stayed in a nursing hospital. The activists used to visit her to eat out at a local restaurant, take a walk, and laugh together. Yet since 2016, her health worsened significantly and she had endured the pain. Now she rests in peace.

Halmoni, we wish that you can rest without any more pains.