Statements from the 1452nd Wednesday Demonstration Press Con for 8th International Memorial Day

Statements from the 8th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women” International Solidarity Demonstration and the 1452nd Wednesday Demonstration Press Conference for Resolution of the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery Issue

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Weekly Update from the 8th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women” International Solidarity Demonstration and the 1452nd Wednesday Demonstration Press Conference for Resolution of the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery Issue

Eight International Solidarity Demonstrations have been held since August 14, 2013, when the 1087th Wednesday Demonstration was proclaimed as Day of International Solidarity Action upon the 1st International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women.” Today‘s 8th International Solidarity Demonstration is joined by 118 co-hosting organizations from 33 cities in 11 countries.

First, we deeply apologize again to many citizens around the world who have stood in solidarity with this movement, and especially to halmonis, Japanese military “comfort women” victims-survivors and women’s rights activists, for the concerns caused by “the Korean Council issue.” We are sincerely sorry for hurting your feelings. We would like to express our deep gratitude to citizens who have defended the meaning of the movement and truth, and held onto the Korean Council despite groundless speculations and disparagements. We also extend our solidarity to people who are suffering from the continuous spread of COVID-19 and ongoing floods.

I will present a brief report on the prosecution investigation and media reports that have been continuing since May 7, 2020.

First, the prosecution‘s investigation started with a focus on indiscriminate groundless accusations by conservative groups and suspicions raised by the media. On May 20 and 21, the Korean Council office, War and Women’s Human Right Museum, and Shelter Peaceful Our Home were searched, and the investigation has continued since then. We stayed up all night answering dozens of written questions and attended investigations all day as references multiple times a week. As the direction of the investigation changed and the scope of the investigation expanded, in addition to the staff in charge of accounting at the Korean Council, the staff in charge of victim support, care workers, bereaved families of victims, donors, and many others who once had connections with the Korean Council responded prosecutors’ phone calls and request for meetings to cooperate with the investigation. We cooperate as much as possible in the summoning and questioning, despite seemingly incomprehensible processes such as coercive investigation attitudes and unreasonable investigations.

Public criticism of the Korean Council‘s fault was very painful and difficult, but it also provided an opportunity to look back and reflect on the past. However, some media have divided victims from activists, and activists from bereaved families. They have misrepresented “suspicions“ raised by themselves as “confirmed corruption“ and biased “opinions“ as “truths,” thus seriously undermining the morality and sincerity of the organization and the movement. In response, the Korean Council applied to the Press Arbitration Commission for mediation to protect the historical truth and the legitimacy of the movement from irresponsible media reports and to demand a more responsible and mature attitude from Korean media. We sought correction and compensation for damages from 8 articles from 7 media companies in the first application and 5 articles from 4 media companies in the second application. Among them, 11 articles were made subject to mediation or compulsory arbitration, including deletion of articles, corrections of articles, inclusion of counterclaims, and corrections of titles.

In the process, Son Young-Mi, Director of Peaceful Our Home, a shelter for Japanese military “comfort women” victim-survivors, passed away at her house in Paju on June 6. Even after she passed away, some media and politicians have continued to sway public opinion like witch hunts through rash judgments, unfounded speculations, transfer of responsibility and doxing, and approaching bereaved families and activists in manners that violate human rights.

It was terrible. It must have been a time of shock and pain not only for activists at the Korean Council, but also for everyone who has participated in this movement. However, we could not just express our emotions of injustice and anger, or just protest and explain. We are going back to the early spirits and minds of the beginning stages and reflecting on what we had lacked, and missed. We are making efforts to continue the history and meaning of the movement, but also gather the minds of victim-survivors and citizens again to make a new leap forward. We are seeking specific measures for a future-oriented structure for the Korean Council for teenagers and youth, sustainable activism, and expanded solidarity.

First of all, we are preparing measures to improve the accounting management system. the Korean Council commissioned consultation for improvement of the accounting management system to the Public Accountants Network [Malkeun] in July and received the final report. The purpose was to enhance the accuracy and reliability of the foundation’s accounting disclosures by improving and supplementing the accounting, tax, public disclosure, and internal control procedures. [Malkeun] suggested the following directions for improvement:

① Increase in work efficiency: The 2019 accounting, tax, and public disclosure works and the current accounting management of the foundation in 2020 have been evaluated as overall satisfactory. However, since it is difficult to meet all internal and external levels of demand with limited human resources, [Malkeun] suggested reducing the workload concentrated on certain aspects and balancing the accounting, tax, and public disclosure tasks to increase work efficiency.

② Maintenance of international control procedures: To complement potential weaknesses in internal management that may arise from increased work efficiency, [Malkeun] suggested organizing and supplementing key internal control procedures related to accounting.

③ Improvement in accuracy and sufficiency of accounting disclosure data: [Malkeun] suggested seeking to improve the accuracy and sufficiency of accounting disclosure data by preparing measures to strengthen communication with internal and external stakeholders.

Secondly, we created the Introspection and Vision Committee to organize improvement measures based on inspection and diagnosis of the structure and activities of the Korean Council and to inherit the history and meaning of the movement for resolution of Japanese military sexual slavery issue in an advanced manner.

We would like to briefly explain the organization and purpose of the Introspection and Vision Committee and the details and direction of its activities thus far to mark the8th International Solidarity Demonstration and the 1452nd Wednesday Demonstration Press Conference. Choi Kwang-ki, a member of the committee, will give a presentation.

I sincerely ask you to share us good opinion and join us on the difficult road we are taking again. the Korean Council will believe in the power of citizens and move forward with humility.

August 12, 2020

Lee Na-young,

Chair of Board, The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan

Introspection and Vision Committee_20200812

The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan’s works towards resolution of the Japanese military“comfort women”issue started with the Wednesday Demonstration on January 8, 1992, and have continued to the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (hereinafter the Korean Council) with fierce nation-wide protest against the 2015 Korea-Japan“comfort women”agreement on December 28, 2015.

Not a single moment in the 30-year history on this path was easy. I stand here today to restore the essence of this movement and to stand in solidarity, feeling a sense of crisis from the recent groundless suspicions against the Korean Council.

the Korean Council established the“Introspection and Vision Committee" to gather the hearts of citizens who stand with the victim-survivors and to move forward.

The Introspection and Vision Committee consists of 13 members, including experts and representatives from women’s human rights, human rights and civic groups. From the first meeting on June 24 to the fourth meeting on August 4, we have discussed the details and direction to inherit, develop, and regenerate the movement by the Korean Council.

First, the Introspection and Vision Committee began with four purposes:

1. Prepare measures to improve the accounting management system of the Korean Council

2. Prepare improvement measures through review and diagnosis of the structure and activities of the Korean Council

3. Provide direction and vision to the movement for resolution of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue

4. Provide measure on communication with citizens

In the course of the discussion, we confirmed that the seven tasks of the Wednesday Demonstration - 1) the Japanese Government’s admission of war crimes, 2) fact-finding, 3) official apology, 4) legal reparations, 5) punishment of those responsible, 6) establishment of memorials and historical archives, and 7) history education, - which were presented since the beginning of the demonstration, remain unsolved. We also confirmed that the Korean Council’s efforts to connect the Japanese military“comfort women”issue with the issues of Japanese colonial rule, wartime sexual violence, armed conflict and militarism, daily sexual exploitation, and the importance of women’s human rights and peace, were proper. We confirmed once again that the meaning of the movement should not be undermined from ruthless continuation of anti-historical and anti-human rights behaviors that shake the dignity and honor of the victims.

In addition, we look back on whether we are taking our full responsibility for the warm hearts of the long-time supporters of the Korean Council and those who have began to stand in solidarity amidst the crisis. With more victims who have passed away than those who survived, we reflect on how desperate we have been to promote the youth and future generation who will lead the movement. We deeply reflect on Lee Yong-soo halmoni’s worries and thoughts that we should pay more attention to education for future generations to correct history.

Introspection and Vision Committee continues discussions on improving the deficiencies through internal diagnosis and external consultation, building on the aforementioned diagnosis. We discussed accounting and organizational restructure as a priority for reflection.

1. We conducted an external consulting to establish an efficient accounting management system. Based on these results, we will work to improve our accounting management system.

2. We will propose a more open and democratic decision-making structure, a more efficient and responsible organizational restructuring.

Through a thorough internal diagnosis, we will work towards the specific goals below.

1. We will continue to work towards the seven demands that we have been working on for 30 years with the victim-survivors: 1) the Japanese Government’s admission of war crimes, 2) fact-finding, 3) official apology, 4) legal reparations, 5) punishment of those responsible, 6) establishment of memorials and historical archives, and 7) history education

2. We will strengthen research activities that will academically support this movement and work together to develop educational contents and programs for future generations.

3. We will improve the structure of sponsorship for all citizens to participate and seek sustainable solidarity with domestic and international organizations.

4. Following the activities that have created international standards for women’s human rights to prevent the recurrence of wartime sexual violence, we will join forces to develop the movement into an international women’s peace movement.

5. We will listen to and reflect your opinions in the process of the above-mentioned work. Focusing on sponsors, solidarity groups, civic groups and researchers, and above all, related organizations that have been with the victim-survivors, we will hold national tour meetings. We will run to wherever we call, listen to your words, and make a direction for improvement of the Korean Council together.

We will carefully move one step at a time, engraving the stern reprimand and encouragement of the victim-survivors who gave everything to this movement, citizens who have become regular members and have gathered their hearts in spite of reckless suspicions, and supporters from around the world.

Just as hope is born in a desperate moment, we will run with you: remembering our firsts and imagining a new start to the movement, which began 30 years ago with the low and small voice of the late Kim Hak-soon halmoni.

Members of the Introspection and Vision Committee on August 12, 2020

Statement from the 8th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women” International Solidarity Demonstration and the 1452nd Wednesday Demonstration Press Conference for Resolution of the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery Issue

29 years ago on August 14, Japanese military sexual slavery victim Kim Hak-soon became a testifier of history, many victims gained courage, and the whole world enraged with the warm crimes committed by the Japanese Military. The victims, who had been forced into silence for a long time without being able to open up their pain, gradually took courage and came forward to the world one by one. Victims from not only Korea but also regions colonized and occupied by the Japanese imperialism, including China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia, have stood up. They spoke up as victims of war crimes, testified to crimes committed by the Japanese Military during the war, and finally shouted for the Japanese Government to apologize and make reparations for the wrongdoing.

To commemorate and stand with the courage of victims, victims and activists working for resolution of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue proclaimed August 14 as the International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women” at the 11th Asian Solidarity Conference for Resolution of the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” Issue in 2012. Since then, countless citizens around the world held various campaigns to create a peaceful world.Through the movement, victims became activists. This year, we commemorate the 8th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women.”

Despite such a long-standing calls and recommendations from citizens of the world and international organizations to sincerely apologize for and make reparations for the crimes of Japanese military sexual slavery, the Japanese Government remained unmoved and is instead making a tremendous effort to wipe out its shameful history by attacking the victims again. Also, historical denialists in Korea constantly defame the movement for resolution of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue and attack the victims and activists, in its motive to stir up a fight. In particular, historial denialists have now invaded Pyeonghwa-ro, a symbol of persistent struggle of halmonis, putting all kinds of obstacles to the Wednesday Demonstration.

Commemorating the International Memorial Day amidst the attacks against both the movement for resolution of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue and victims, push us further to reflect on its meaning.

It is difficult to imagine how lonely and rough the fight against the perpetrator Japanese Government must have been, in a patriarchal society that blames a victim of sexual violence more than the perpetrator. However, halmonis were not broken. They held the hands of those who stood with them, continued to reach out to other victims and the marginalized. We will also continue on this path, ever so vigorously.

We remember the halmonis’ saying that our children should live in a peaceful world. We resonate with halmonis’ voices to make a world without war and a world without victims of wartime sexual violence. We will listen to the halmonis’ voices, respond, expand and unite endlessly for a just solution.

We demand:

One, Japanese Government, make official apology and legal reparations to Japanese military sexual slavery victims!

One, Immediately stop attacks against the Japanese military sexual slavery victims and the movement for resolution!

One, Korean Government, fulfill responsibilities as a victimized nation to restore the honor and human rights of victims!

August 12, 2020

Participants at the8th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women” International Solidarity Demonstration and the 1452nd Wednesday Demonstration Press Conference for Resolution of the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery Issue

118 organizations of 11 countries (Korea, Japan, the Philippines, the United States, Australia, Germany, Canada, Indonesia, South Africa, France, and Multinational organizations)