Grandmother I Yong-su: "Yoon Mi-hyang runs for office out of selfish interest... must be punished" (Comprehensive Report 2)

Grandmother Lee Yong-soo (92), a victim of the Japanese military sexual slavery, is entering the press conference hall set up at the Inter-Burgo Hotel in Manchon-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu, to hold a second press conference in the afternoon on the 25th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy (Daegu) = Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Lee Yong-soo (92), a victim of the Japanese military sexual slavery, strongly criticized Yoon Mee-hyang, the elected member of the Democratic Party of Korea who ran the Justice and Memory Foundation (Jeonguiyeok), at her second press conference, saying, "She exploited the comfort women victims for personal gain." This came 18 days after Lee held her first press conference on the 7th of this month, raising suspicions about the use of Jeonguiyeok's donation funds.

At the press conference held at the Inter-Burgo Hotel in Daegu that afternoon, Lee devoted much time to criticizing Yoon's fundraising activities and the various allegations surrounding them. Arriving 40 minutes later than the scheduled time, Lee entered the venue in a wheelchair. At the foot of the stage stairs, she was helped up by two members of the 'Citizens' Group with Grandmothers of the Comfort Women' who assisted in holding the press conference, and then took her seat. It is known that Lee's health has deteriorated since raising issues about Jeonguiyeok recently.

At her first press conference on the 7th, Lee had raised concerns about the management of donations related to Jeonguiyeok and former director Yoon. Subsequently, allegations surfaced regarding the overpriced purchase of the 'House Where Peace and Healing Meet (Anseong Shelter)' and omissions or errors in various donation and accounting disclosures, leading to continued criticism of Jeonguiyeok and former director Yoon. Jeonguiyeok and former director Yoon responded to Lee's allegations by saying, "We realized that the grandmother's memories have changed," and "There is no accounting fraud at Jeonguiyeok."

On this day, Lee said, "This person (Yoon Mee-hyang) does whatever she wants and neglects everything," adding, "She took personal gain and ran as a proportional representative in the National Assembly. She didn't even tell me, so why should I forgive her when she acts as she pleases?" She further harshly criticized, "We did the hard work, but (Yoon Mee-hyang) took the money. That money ate away at my flesh."

Grandmother Lee Yong-soo (92), a victim of the Japanese military sexual slavery, is holding a press conference on the afternoon of the 25th at the Inter-Burgo Hotel in Manchon-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

She also mentioned another victim, the late Kim Bok-dong, saying, "One of her eyes was blind, yet she was dragged around to the U.S. and elsewhere, exploited, and then shamelessly shed tears at the funeral," calling it "fake tears and giving illness while pretending to help." She emphasized repeatedly, "The prosecution will reveal everything," and "I cannot forgive Jeongdaehyeop for using the comfort women to raise funds."

She added, "Yoon Mee-hyang thinks (about the use of donations) confidently," but said, "If she committed a crime, she must be punished." Regarding whether Yoon should resign from her parliamentary position, she said, "She did as she pleased, so I will not mention it further." However, she appealed emotionally, saying, "(Yoon Mee-hyang) worked on the comfort women movement for 30 years but betrayed us overnight, and I, who was betrayed, am very upset."

Lee revealed, "The Citizens' Group with Grandmothers of the Comfort Women used the comfort women who risked their lives and were taken away," and "They even took the piggy banks that students brought." She explained, "On June 25, 1992, I registered as a comfort woman with a secretary named Yoon Mee-hyang, and the next day (26th), I attended a comfort women meeting held at a church," adding, "At that time, a Japanese teacher gave 1,000 yen or so and distributed 1 million won. From then on, I saw (Yoon Mee-hyang) fundraising."

She distinguished between the 'Jeongsindae,' women who worked in military factories during the Japanese colonial era, and comfort women victims, saying, "How can Jeongsindae and comfort women be the same?" and claimed, "The Jeongsindae Countermeasure Council (Jeongdaehyeop) used not only the Jeongsindae issue but also the comfort women victims." Lee added, "I thought I was so foolish to endure this and couldn't even speak, so I wanted to reveal this for sure."

She also showed an agitated reaction, saying, "They sold out the grandmothers knowing that the Japanese people would not compensate or apologize," and "Why should I be sold out?"

Lee said, "Through this kind of press conference, I feel truly sorry that the two words 'woman' have been damaged to women worldwide," and "Knowing history, the unfair and unjust comfort women issue must be apologized for and compensated to clear the comfort women stigma."

- Do you have anything to say to the elected member Yoon Mee-hyang?

▲ Yoon Mee-hyang thinks confidently about (the allegations). If she committed a crime, she must be punished.

- Do you hope Yoon Mee-hyang resigns from the National Assembly?

▲ That is not for me to say. She did as she pleased, so whether she resigns or not, I will not comment.

- There was a report that former director Yoon urged the grandmothers not to accept money from the Japanese government during the 2015 Korea-Japan comfort women agreement. What do you think about that?

= It was kept secret whether I received money from the Japanese government in 2015 or not. I don't know the details, but I never told anyone to accept or reject money. I just didn't accept it. I opposed all compensation money from the Japanese government.

- You said that the money raised by Jeonguiyeok was not used for the victim grandmothers. Are there specific cases? Were there times when economic assistance requests were rejected?

= I don't know about fundraising. I have no knowledge of it at all.

- The issues related to Jeonguiyeok are not new. Why are they being raised only now? Was there a reason you had to speak out now?

= Only the grandmothers at Jeongdaehyeop and Nanum House are victims. I couldn't tell them to stop the movement first. But (elected member Yoon) betrayed us overnight after 30 years of work. I was very upset to be betrayed. Is she not just pursuing personal gain after abandoning 30 years?