"Victims of Japanese Military Abuse for 30 Years Unite in Calling for Yoon Mee-hyang's Resignation"

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On the morning of the 6th, at the Daegu Huium Comfort Women Victims History Museum where a memorial service for Japanese military comfort women victims was held, Grandmother Lee Yong-soo is speaking to the deceased. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Lee Yong-soo (92), a women's rights activist and victim of the Japanese military's comfort women system, poured out criticism toward the Justice and Memory Solidarity (Jeong-ui-yeon-dae) at a memorial event for comfort women victims.

Earlier, the Pacific War Victims' Families Association, a group representing the families of Korean victims including forced laborers, soldiers, and comfort women during Japanese colonial rule, called for the disbandment of the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (Jeong-dae-hyeop) and the resignation of Yoon Mee-hyang, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea. Additionally, families of forced labor victims also demanded Yoon's resignation.

Yoon, who is under suspicion of misappropriating donations, has stated she has no intention of resigning from her parliamentary position, and the calls for her resignation from comfort women victims and other victims of the Japanese colonial era are expected to grow louder day by day.

On the morning of the 6th, Lee attended the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Victims Memorial Day event held by the Citizens' Group with Grandmothers of the Military Sexual Slavery Victims at the Heeum History Hall in Jung-gu, Daegu.

That day, sitting in front of the ancestral rites table, Lee opened up, saying, "Sisters, until now, this has not been resolved, and here I am crying in front of you all."

She continued, "I like the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan. The council treated comfort women as the same as the military sexual slavery victims and exploited them repeatedly for 30 years, which has now been revealed, hasn't it?" She raised her voice, saying, "We will establish a correct historical perspective on comfort women and remove those people from the council and related groups."

She also said, "The Wednesday Demonstrations must be abolished. Likewise, the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan must be disbanded, and all those people must be removed." She added, "They made students sit on bare ground and brought piggy banks to fill. The related issues have been exposed. It was huge. I didn't know about it. I have to resolve that and then go to heaven to tell the sisters who went before me."

She said, "Grandmother Kim Bok-dong couldn't see with one eye but was dragged around everywhere and exploited by such wicked people. It has been revealed. The whole world knows." She insisted, "Therefore, I think we must know the correct history. We must build a comfort women history museum and education center to thoroughly educate the younger generation."

Lee also said, "Even after a thousand years, an apology and compensation must be made. Those young people (from Korea and Japan) are the owners." She added, "Sisters, may peace, health, and blessings be given to those people, and may they understand history and resolve it. The sisters are watching, aren't they? It's unfair. They exploited us for 30 years."

Regarding Yoon's press conference held on the 29th of last month to explain allegations of poor accounting at Jeong-ui-yeon-dae, Lee expressed strong feelings, saying, "I have nothing to say. If you committed a crime, you must be punished." She added, "Why watch a press conference? I didn't watch it."

Yang Soon-im, President of the Pacific War Victims' Families Association (center), is holding a press conference on the 1st at a restaurant in Seonwon-myeon, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, urging the resignation of Yoon Mi-hyang, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea. [Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Pacific War Victims' Families Association: "Disband Jeong-dae-hyeop and Resign Yoon Mee-hyang"

Earlier, the Pacific War Victims' Families Association also called for the disbandment of Jeong-dae-hyeop and the resignation of Yoon. This organization was established in 1973 by Korean victims and their families who were forcibly taken as soldiers, laborers, female labor conscripts, and Japanese military comfort women during and after the Pacific War initiated by Japan.

Yang Soon-im (76), president of the association, held a press conference on the 1st at a restaurant in Seonwon-myeon, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, stating, "Our association has conducted investigations on victims since 1973 and registered over 50 people with the Ministry of Health and Welfare but did not receive a single penny of support, while Jeong-dae-hyeop monopolized the support."

She continued, "Don't cover up 30 years of activism for grandmothers by Jeong-dae-hyeop with tears. What achievements have they made? They intercepted the history and opportunities promoted by the families' association. There is no answer other than disbandment," raising her voice.

Yang said, "The families' association also fought legal battles in Japan for 13 years." She added, "We tried to resolve issues with Japan, but were indiscriminately labeled pro-Japanese. I don't know what is pro-Japanese."

Yang claimed, "When Japan proposed the 'Asian Women's Fund' compensation plan after the Kono Statement, some grandmothers wanted to receive this help. However, Jeong-dae-hyeop slandered those grandmothers who wanted to accept it as 'prostitutes' and 'brothel workers.'"

She further alleged, "Some grandmothers received consolation payments, but later, their names were removed from the 'Namsan Memorial Site' comfort women list, a heinous act."

She said, "They demand an official apology from Japan, but I don't know what an official apology is. Japan has issued statements from the Chief Cabinet Secretary to the Prime Minister."

She added, "Comfort women grandmothers feared Jeong-dae-hyeop and Yoon Mee-hyang while alive," and "The government should no longer send subsidies to this organization."

Regarding Yoon, she said, "She said she would work harder in the National Assembly to resolve the comfort women issue. What can such a person do in the National Assembly? She hasn't done anything related to Japan so far. She must resign," raising her voice.

Members of the National Council of Organizations for Victims of Forced Mobilization held a press conference on the afternoon of the 4th at the National Assembly Communication Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, urging the arrest of Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Families of Forced Labor Victims: "Yoon Mee-hyang Thwarted Resolution of Forced Labor Issue"

On the 4th, families of forced labor victims held a press conference, demanding Yoon's resignation, stating, "Yoon Mee-hyang opposed and blocked the Moon Hee-sang plan to resolve forced labor issues."

Lee Joo-seong, director of the Forced Labor Victims' Families Cooperative, said at the press conference held at the National Assembly Communication Hall, "If the Moon Hee-sang plan passed and Korea-Japan relations improved, they would lose their livelihood, so Yoon Mee-hyang was the foremost opponent. This is consistent with telling comfort women not to accept 100 million won from the Japanese Reconciliation and Healing Foundation."

Kim In-sung, president of the Forced Victims Compensation Association, said, "Yoon Mee-hyang and others went to the Speaker's office to block the bill, claiming it gave Japan a free pass. What does Yoon have to do with the Moon Hee-sang bill?" He demanded, "Immediately expel Yoon from the National Assembly and have the government and National Assembly reintroduce the Moon Hee-sang bill to return our ancestors' lives and hard-earned money."

Amid ongoing calls for Yoon's resignation, Jeong-ui-yeon-dae rebutted on the 5th a media report quoting families saying, "Yoon opposed and blocked the Moon Hee-sang plan," stating it was untrue.

The so-called 'Moon Hee-sang plan' proposed at the end of last year by former National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang suggested establishing a Memory and Human Rights Foundation funded by Korean and Japanese companies and citizens, with indirect government involvement, known as the '2+2+α' plan.

It was a solution proposed to resolve compensation issues for forced labor victims. At the time, Yoon, then director of Jeong-ui-yeon-dae, criticized the plan as "very shameful."

Jeong-ui-yeon-dae stated in a press release on the 5th that while Yoon opposed the 'Moon Hee-sang plan,' they refuted the families' claims.

They explained that Yoon opposed the plan because it included 6 billion won remaining from the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation established after the 2015 Korea-Japan agreement, funded by Japan.

They also claimed the plan was not blocked solely due to Yoon's opposition, stating, "Related organizations, victims, and many Democratic Party lawmakers opposed it, and it was automatically discarded due to expiration of the legislative term without even being deliberated."

Yoon Mi-hyang, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is deep in thought during the 21st National Assembly plenary session on the 5th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Yoon Mee-hyang: "I Have No Intention to Avoid Prosecutors' Investigation"

Meanwhile, after various allegations including misappropriation of comfort women donations surfaced, Yoon appeared on a radio interview on the 18th of last month, expressing refusal to resign from her parliamentary seat.

After not appearing publicly for a while, Yoon held a press conference on the 29th of last month at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, explaining allegations surrounding her and Jeong-ui-yeon-dae, including the low-price sale of the Anseong shelter and misuse of donations.

That day, she said, "I will clarify any shortcomings through prosecutors' investigation and additional explanations without any suspicion," and "I will explain thoroughly and work responsibly until the public is convinced," reiterating her intention to retain her parliamentary position.

Regarding whether she would be summoned by prosecutors despite parliamentary immunity, she responded, "I have no intention to avoid (the investigation)," and "I intend to sincerely cooperate with the investigation process and take all responsibilities thereafter."