Discussion Begins on Permanent Preservation of Local Councils
[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The "Statue of Peace," which had been the subject of demolition controversy, is expected to remain permanently in Berlin, the capital of Germany.
The statue, originally ordered to be removed, will be preserved until the end of September next year, and discussions to make the statue permanent will also begin.
On the 1st (local time), the Mitte District Council of Berlin held a full meeting and passed a resolution for the permanent installation of the Statue of Peace.
Frank Werterman, chairman of the Green Party, stated, "The resolution to preserve the Statue of Peace, which commemorates victims of sexual violence, was passed by majority vote."
In the vote, 31 council members participated, with 24 in favor and 5 opposed. Progressive parties participating in the Berlin coalition government, including the Social Democratic Party, the Green Party, and the Left Party, voted in favor. The opposing votes came from the Christian Democratic Union and the Free Democratic Party.
The resolution, jointly proposed by the Green Party and the Left Party, includes provisions to prepare a plan for the Statue of Peace to remain in the Mitte district with the participation of the district council.
Tilo Urhiss, a Left Party council member, explained the proposal, saying, "The Statue of Peace is based on the concrete historical fact of sexual violence against Korean women by the Japanese military during World War II," and emphasized, "Sexual violence in war or military conflicts is not a one-time issue but a structural problem, and the Statue of Peace symbolizes exactly that."
He added, "We hope that during the discussions for the permanent installation of the statue, these structural issues will be highlighted," and "We hope the Statue of Peace can find a place in our district where its dignity can be preserved, and that discussions on sexual violence against women will also take place."
The resolution also includes withdrawing the demolition order for the Statue of Peace and extending the installation deadline, originally set for August 14 next year, by six weeks until the end of September next year.
Earlier, the Mitte District Office recognized that the statue commemorating victims of the Japanese military's sexual slavery was an international issue concerning the human rights of women affected by war, and approved its installation in July last year.
The statue was erected on a street in the Mitte area at the end of last September. However, after the Japanese side protested to the German federal government and the Berlin state government following the installation, the Mitte District Office issued a demolition order on October 7.
In response, Berlin's civil society opposed the order, and the Korea Council, a local civic group that organized the statue's installation, filed a provisional injunction to suspend the demolition order with the Administrative Court. Consequently, the Mitte District Office postponed the demolition order and took a step back. Subsequently, the Mitte District Council adopted a resolution to withdraw the demolition order on the 7th of last month.
Han Jeong-hwa, head of the Korea Council, said, "The start of discussions for permanent installation is a big step toward ensuring the statue remains forever in Berlin," adding, "It is historically significant because it allows us to begin discussions on sexual violence against women during wartime, which had been concealed in Germany, a former Axis power."
On the day of the council meeting, about 30 Koreans and Germans gathered in front of the Mitte District Council to hold a candlelight vigil for the permanent installation of the statue. Participants sang Arirang and urged that the Statue of Peace must remain forever.
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