On the morning of the 11th, at the People’s Human Rights Foundation in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Han Kyung-hee, Secretary General of the Justice and Memory Foundation, appeared tearful while speaking at a press conference regarding the controversy over donations related to Japanese military comfort women victims. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] The civic group Justice and Memory Solidarity (Jeonguiyeon), which works to resolve the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery, has denied allegations that it spent over 33 million won at a bar, calling them "completely false."
On the 12th, Han Kyung-hee, Secretary General of Jeonguiyeon, appeared on CBS Radio's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" and explained, "According to the National Tax Service standards, when entering data, the total annual fundraising expenses can be summed when listed by project, but it is impossible to list all the expenditure destinations for fundraising expenses," adding, "The amount combined for the entire year was spent as fundraising expenses."
Han further explained, "Once a year, on our anniversary, we hold a sponsorship day event from around 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. In the morning, families and youths come to eat food and buy sponsorship tickets to eat there. In the afternoon, the event proceeds, and since there is beer, people drink beer as well. The expenses were spent on such an event."
Han emphasized regarding some media outlets that raised the allegations, "This is not just distorted reporting but false reporting," and stated, "We will take legal action."
Regarding the controversy that a child of a former executive director of Jeonguiyeon received a scholarship from Grandmother Kim Bok-dong, Han said, "In the year the grandmother passed away, many citizens supported the funeral, and after covering the costs, there was money left over," adding, "So, there was an opinion to provide scholarships as encouragement to children of parents engaged in civic activities and efforts to improve society."
She continued, "Whether or not someone was a director at Jeonguiyeon in the past is not important at all," and raised her voice, saying, "If someone devoted themselves to an organization and their child is fully qualified to receive it, then they should be given the scholarship. Warm stories should not be slandered and butchered like this."
On the same day, Lee Na-young, Chairperson of Jeonguiyeon, appeared on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" and criticized some media reports, saying, "Thinking of the Beautiful Good Deeds Night as a drunken party where funds were illegally exchanged shows their (those raising the allegations) usual behavior."
When asked about the willingness to undergo an external comprehensive audit, Lee expressed refusal, saying, "I don't understand why a civic group should be subjected to external audits due to such suspicions."
She added, "This is something that negatively affects many civic groups as well."
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