[Statement] Korean government to take action after the ruling for Japanese military sexual slavery victims!
2021년 1월 27일We welcome the historic and just ruling for Japanese military sexual slavery victims. and demand the Moon Jae-in government to practice active diplomacy towards Japan!
On January 8, Seoul Central District Court Civil Chamber 34 ruled on the lawsuit filed by the Japanese military sexual slavery (“comfort women”) victims with a groundbreaking decision which declared that universal human rights take precedence over state immunity.
Yet President Moon Jae-in said at the New Year’s press conference on January 18 that he was “perplexed” about the ruling. We are shocked and devastated over the president’s words regarding the historic ruling made possible by the victims’ 30-year-long fight.
We are collecting signatures for co-statement to be announced at the Wednesday Demonstration on January 27!
Please fill out the form to sign the co-statement and receive updates.
Organizers:
-The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan
-The Museum of Sexual Slavery by Japanese Military (House of Sharing)
-Peace Nabi Network
-Masan, Changwon and Jinhae Civil Assembly for Japanese Military Sexual Slaves
-Tongyeong & Geoje Civil Assembly for Japanese Military Sexual Slavery
-Daegu Citizen’s Forum for Halmuni
-Gyeonggi Coalition for Statue of Peace
-North Jeolla Province Movement for One Korea
Inquiries: e-mail at [email protected]
We welcome the historic and just ruling for Japanese military sexual slavery victims. and demand the Moon Jae-in government to practice active diplomacy towards Japan!
On January 8, Seoul Central District Court Civil Chamber 34 ruled on the lawsuit filed by the Japanese military sexual slavery (“comfort women”) victims with a groundbreaking decision which declared that universal human rights take precedence over state immunity. After the victims’ persistent activism, a South Korean court finally announced a ruling recognizing the legal responsibilities of Japan. A path to justice has opened for victims, who campaigned around the world for the past 30 years calling for “no more victims like us.” The decision is significant in opening paths to remedy the rights of not only the plaintiffs but also survivors of sexual violence in armed conflicts and is drawing attention from around the world for its implications on international human rights law.
The court ruled that states and individuals are separate legal entities, and that the state cannot extinguish the rights of an individual under political ‘agreements.’ For both the 1965 Agreement on the Settlement of Problems concerning Property and Claims and on Economic Co-operation between the Republic of Korea and Japan and the 2015 Korea-Japan “comfort women” agreement, the court ruled that “it cannot be concluded that the plaintiffs’ right to claim damages has been finally and irreversibly resolved” and that the 2015 agreement is “limited to declaring that there was a state-to-state political agreement on the issue of ‘comfort women’ between Korea and Japan.” In December 2019, the Constitutional Court of Korea also ruled that the victims’ rights and the diplomatic protection rights of the Korean government were not extinguished by the 2015 agreement. These rulings urge the Korean government to make efforts to hold the Japanese government legally responsible for resolving the Japanese military sexual slavery issue.
However, President Moon Jae-in said at the New Year’s press conference on January 18 that he was “perplexed” about the ruling. We are shocked and devastated over the president’s words regarding the historic ruling made possible by the victims’ 30-year-long fight.
His remark that “recognizes the 2015 agreement as the official agreement between the two governments” also contradicts remarks that the Moon Jae-in government had made since inauguration. The Moon Jae-in government declared that the 2015 agreement is not a resolution to the issue through a statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2018, dissolved the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation, and pursued the return of 1 billion JPY. In a luncheon at the Blue House attended by the victims in 2018, he said that “the past agreement is against the principles of truth and justice and is wrong in both its contents and procedures.”
We are compelled to ask what has changed the Moon Jae-in government to adjust its stance to not comply with “truth and justice” that it had emphasized thus far.
The Japanese government insisted that the Japanese military “comfort women” issue has been finally and irreversibly resolved by the 2015 agreement, repeatedly denied the truths of the crimes, severely defamed the victims, and systematically interfered with the installment of and demanded the removal of Statues of Peace around the world, including the Berlin Statue of Peace. The Japanese government even took the lead in erasing history, denying the very existence of systemic sexual slavery, forced mobilization, and illegal colonization. This is the reality of the 2015 agreement.
We call on Japan to no longer lie to the world and to apologize in an official and irreversible manner. The crimes against humanity that Japan had inflicted in Asia during the Second World War violated the universal value of human rights. It would be insufficient even if the victims were given billions of dollars or received apologies for hundreds or thousands of years. We hope that Japan would not lose the last opportunity to resolve the issue by making reparations in accordance with the ruling and actively pursuing acknowledgment of crimes, official apology, investigation of truth, and education of future generations that citizens around the world have called for.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of late Kim Hak-soon halmoni’s publicly coming forward as a survivor on August 14, 1991. After her first public testimony, numerous victims came forward and shared their messages with the world, paving the road towards justice.
The Moon Jae-in government should reflect deeply on the significance of this ruling and no longer remain passive. The Korean government should demand that Japan fulfill its legal responsibilities. We sincerely hope that the last door of opportunity opened by the Korean Judiciary will not be closed in vain by the Korean government.
- The Korean government should clarify the reasoning and meaning of calling the “2015 agreement” an “official agreement.”
- The Korean government should practice active diplomacy towards Japan to realize a victim-centered approach.
- The Korean government should respect the ruling of the judiciary and take the lead in the just resolution of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue!
- The Japanese government should admit its war crimes and officially apologize to the victims.
- The Japanese government should stop distortion of history and truth.
- The Japanese government should join the path towards peace and human rights through continuous investigation of truth and history education.
January 27, 2021
Organizations signed: 104 in total
South Korea (76)
6.15 공동선언실천남측위원회전남본부
6.15 공동선언실천남측위원회창원시지부
6.15 공동선언실천남측위원회학술본부
Korea Methodist Women’s Leadership Institute
Movement For One Korea
Korean People Early Childhood Education and Childcare Solidarity Meeting
경기민족굿연합 수원지부
Gwang-ju Women Association
국민대 평화의소녀상 건립추진위원회 ‘세움’
Amnesty International Korea
Christian Center Against Sexual Violence
KidokYominhoe
김포평화나비
The Museum of Sexual Slavery by Japanese Military (House of Sharing)
남해여성회
대숲교육공동체
Peace Nabi Network
Women Clergy Association, the Anglican Church of Korea
My sister’s home
민생경제연구소
The Center for Historical Truth and Justice
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Kyonggi Regional Council Suwon․Yongin․Osan․Hwaseong Regional Branch
MINBYUN – Lawyers for a Democratic Society Japanese military “comfort women” issue TF
People Making Jeju a Demilitarized Peace Island
Jeonbuk Christian Action for Life Peace and Justice
서울노동광장
성미산학교 포스트중등
Suwon Women’s Association
swpeace butterfly
Suncheon Press Cooperative
순천평화나비
순천평화나비 인권 강사단
안양나눔여성회
Anyang human right center
안양평화의소녀상네트워크
양평평화나비
여수진보연대
여수평화나비
영등포시민연대 피플
이천평화나비
The Research Network on Japanese Military Sexual Slavery
Masan, Changwon and Jinhae Civil Assembly for Japanese Military Sexual Slaves
Tongyeong & Geoje Civil Assembly for Japanese Military Sexual Slavery
일본군강제성노예피해자 진주평화기림사업회
The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan
장성시민연대
Korean Women Peasants Association
Jbyeonong
Korea Women’s Alliance
전남평화의 소녀상 연대
jn kjnongmin
전북겨레하나
전북교우회
JEONBUKEDUMADANG
Daegu Citizen’s Forum for Halmuni
진보당
People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD)
천안여성회
천안평화나비시민연대
Palestine Peace & Solidarity in S.Korea
평화나비 대전행동
Women Making Peace
Gyeonggi Coalition for Statue of Peace
풍물굿패 삶터
Korea Church Women United
The National Council of Churches in Korea, Women’s Committee
National Church Women’s Association of The Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea
WOMEN MINISTER’S ASSOCIATION OF PROK
한국민예총 풍물굿위원회
KOREAN WOMENLINK
Korean Association of Women Theologians
Korea Alliance for Progressive Movement
Conference of Major Superiors of Korean Men’s Religious Institutes and Societies of Apostolic Life
해아라 경기지부
Sunlit Sisters’ Center
Young Korean Academy
Germany (2)
German East Asia Mission
Korea Verband
Malaysia (1)
Alternatives of Violence Project Malaysia
United States (5)
Alpha-LA
Education for Social Justice Foundation
Houston HAMBI
KAN-WIN
Washington DC Butterfly for Hope
Japan (14)
china shanxi group for uncovering the facts
Hiroshima Network for the Solution of Japan’s Military ‘Comfort Women’ Issue
Japan Nationwide Action for the Resolution of the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” Issue
Japan Network against Wartime Sexual Violence
Japanese Committee for Filipino ‘Comfort Women’
Kansai Network for the Issue of Japanese Military “Comfort Women”
The network of Hokkaido for knowing the past and the present
Women’s Active Museum on War and Peace (WAM)
ロラネット
女性参政権を活かす会
日本軍慰安婦問題を記憶継承する会
日韓民衆連帯委員会
日韓民衆連帯全国ネットワーク
中国人「慰安婦」裁判を支援する会
Canada (3)
B.C. ALPHA
B.C. Association for Learning & Preserving the History of WWII in Asia (ALPHA)
Calgary Association of the Learning & Preserving the History WWII
France (1)
Le Chemin Fleuri
Australia (2)
Melbourne ‘Comfort Women’ Memorial TaskForce
Friends of “Comfort Women” in Sydney
Korean version: https://womenandwar.net/kr/notice/?uid=1243&mod=document&pageid=1