Government Holds Commemoration Ceremony on the Day Honoring Victims of Japanese Military 'Comfort Women'

The Third Government Commemoration Ceremony Since National Memorial Day Designation
Held at the National Manghyang Hill
Over 100 Participants Including Japanese Military Comfort Women Victims and Civic Groups
"Forming 'People United in Memory for the Future' to Continue Discussions"

On May 13, the 1439th regular Wednesday demonstration for the resolution of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue was held on Peace Road in front of the former Japanese Embassy in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the Statue of Peace stood guard. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced on the 14th that it will hold a government commemorative ceremony at the National Manghyang Memorial Park under the theme "Memory for the Future" in observance of the Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Victims Memorial Day.

August 14th marks the day in 1991 when the late Kim Hak-soon, a victim of the Japanese military comfort women system, first publicly testified about her experience. The government designated this day as a national memorial day in December 2017 to honor the victims of the Japanese military comfort women and to remember this issue together.

About 100 people, including victims of the Japanese military comfort women system, civic groups, and academic experts, are expected to attend in front of the victims' memorial monument at the National Manghyang Memorial Park located in Cheonan, Chungnam. President Moon Jae-in will deliver a video message.

On this year's Memorial Day, a digital archive called "Archive 814," which stores materials related to the Japanese military comfort women scattered domestically and internationally, will be opened. It will not only provide materials but also include brief explanations for each item. Visitors can view 171 official documents from the Japanese government (Japanese military), 18 trial materials, 17 documents related to the Japanese military comfort women movement, and 283 resolutions and Japanese government opinion materials from both domestic and international sources.

Meanwhile, about 20 youth and young adult volunteers, organized by the National Women's History Exhibition Hall, will be divided into five groups to march in the streets holding banners without slogans. Afterwards, they plan to lay flowers at the statue of the late Kim Hak-soon installed inside the Women's History Exhibition Hall.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family plans to continuously discuss the Japanese military comfort women issue by forming a group tentatively named "People Sharing Memory for the Future." Minister Lee Jung-ok stated, "We recognize that the experiences and violence faced by women in the past and present are interconnected, and we plan to make efforts so that future generations take the lead in spreading a culture of women's rights and gender equality throughout our society."