Global Declaration of Conscience:Calling for the Immediate Withdrawal of the ‘Moon Hee-Sang Proposal’ and Upholding the Principle of Victim-Centeredness in Resolving the Issue of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery

A Global Declaration of Conscience: Calling for the Immediate Withdrawal of the ‘Moon Hee-Sang Proposal’ and Upholding the Principle of Victim-Centeredness in Resolving the Issue of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery

We come from all corners of the world, working to restore the rights and dignity of the victims of the Japanese military ‘comfort women’ regime. We were deeply dismayed to hear the news of the ‘Moon Hee-Sang Proposal’ that has been put forth by National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-Sang.

The ‘Moon Hee-Sang Proposal’ reduces crimes against humanity such as forced labour and Japanese military sexual slavery to mere political and diplomatic issues. It proposes to combine funds from the Korean and Japanese Governments, Korean and Japanese corporations, and the public of both countries in order to create a foundation that offers ‘consolation money’ to the survivors of World War II-era Japanese military forced labour system. This is non-legally binding and differs from legal reparations which indicate the responsibility of the guilty party.

What is even more concerning about the ‘Moon Hee-Sang Proposal’ is that it includes sections which affirm the validity of the 2015 Korea-Japan Agreement - which the Moon Jae-In administration had already revealed in January 2018 to be procedurally flawed and counter to the victim-centered principle.

The United Nations Human Rights Council recognizes that the resolution of crimes against humanity, such as Japanese military sexual slavery, must follow international human rights principles which are based on victim-centered approach. The human rights of the victims can only be restored by legal processes including: an admission of guilt by those responsible, a process of official apology and legal reparations which involves the victims and respects their wishes at every step, and the provision of preventative measures. This is how the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery must also be resolved.

For the past thirty years, the survivors, including Kim Bok-Dong Halmoni, who said, “Even if you gave us 1000 billion won, we won’t take consolation money,’ have demanded a just resolution to this issue. We can no longer stay silent while the ‘Moon Hee-Sang Proposal,’ which slanders the victims and offers excuses for those who committed crimes against humanity, is being discussed as if it was a viable solution.

Now is not the time for the Korean National Assembly and Government to settle for the path of least resistance and propose ‘consolation money’ as a resolution for the many crimes which occurred during the era of Japanese colonization. They must return to the principle of victim-centeredness and seek a solution which includes an admission of responsibility by the Japanese Government, an official apology and legal reparations. Furthermore, the Korean Government must use the 103 billion won that was set aside in July 2018 as gender equality funding to return the 10 billion yen that the Japanese government sent as ‘consolation money,’ and seek to restore the rights and dignity of the victims of the Japanese military ‘comfort women’ regime by demanding that the Japanese Government take legal responsibility and act accordingly.

We who are working towards a just resolution for the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery around the world demand the immediate withdrawal of the ‘Moon Hee-Sang Proposal.’ We also demand that President Moon Jae-In and the Korean Government keep the promises that they made to the victims in the aftermath of the 2015 Korea-Japan Agreement and find a solution to the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery which conforms to the victim-centered principle.

We also demand that the Japanese Government stops evading responsibility for Japanese military sexual slavery and other human rights abuses for political and diplomatic gain, and find a solution to these issues which is in keeping with international human rights principles.

December 4 2019

The Korean Council for Justice & Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan

<Transnational network of 8 countries> S.P.Ring Worldwide citizens network Japan Nationwide Action for Resolution of the Japan’s Military “Comfort Women” Issue.Support Network for former Filipino “Comfort Women”.Violence Against Women in War Research Action Center (VAWWRAC).Support Group for Taiwanese Survivors of Japan’s Military Sexual Slavery.Hiroshima Network for Solving the Issue of Japan’s Military Sexual Slavery.Japanese Committee For Filipino “Comfort Women”(JCFCW).The network of Hokkaido for knowing the past and the present.Kansai network about Japanese army “comfort women”.Group for uncovering the facts of Japanese military’s sexual violence in Shanxi, WAM (China) and acting in solidarity with the Grandmas.Kitakyusyu group aiming at the solution of “Comfort Women”’s problem.Citizens Association of Kawasaki for Resolution of the Japan’s Military “Comfort Women” Issue.The group against the “comfort women”issue for the former Japanese soldiers in Fukuyama Houston Sewol HAMBI.Education for Social Justice Foundation(ESJF).Chicago KAN-WIN.Peace 21.Coalition of Koreans in America.LA Nabi.Seattle Evergreen Coalition.International Non Government Organization World Green Climate Culture & Art Institute

Washington Butterfly for Hope.Washington Coalition for Comfort Women Issues, Inc.Washington Friends of Statue of Peace.416 Seattle.

Sewol Wild Flower of Washington DC.One Heart for Justice. Sewol416 Chicago The Toronto Coalition of Concerned People.NABI Toronto Aktionsgruppe „Trostfrauen“ im Korea Verband Berlin.KOWIN Germany.Verein der Koreanischen Min-Jung Kultur e.V.,Solidarity of Korean People in Europe, Koreanische Arbeiter Berlin (Nodong Gyoshil) Justice for “Comfort Women” UK Ireland Candlelight Action Korean New Zealanders for a Better Future Friends of “Comfort Women” in Sydney.Friends of “Comfort Women” in Australia(FCWA) 4.16 Jarkarta Candlelight Peace Action