Criticism Punishment Law for Comfort Women Groups... Opposition Presidential Candidates Call It "Yoon Mi-hyang Self-Protection Law"

The Democratic Party Proposes 'Law to Prohibit Defamation of Comfort Women-Related Organizations'... Yoon Mee-hyang Also Participates
Opposition Presidential Candidates Criticize, "Better to Make a Law Banning Criticism of the Democratic Party"

Independent lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Independent lawmaker Yoon Mee-hyang and Democratic Party lawmakers have proposed a bill that strongly prohibits defamation not only against victims and families of Japanese military comfort women but also against related organizations. Opposition presidential candidates criticized the bill, calling it the "Yoon Mee-hyang Protection Act," and said, "Do not exploit the comfort women grandmothers."

On the 24th, Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, wrote on his Facebook, "The Democratic Party is trying to create a 'Comfort Women Criticism Punishment Act' that prohibits not only the comfort women grandmothers and their families but also 'statements of fact' about comfort women-related organizations."

He added, "What is even more surprising is that Representative Yoon, who is on trial for allegations of misappropriating funds donated to the Justice and Memory Foundation (Jeonguiyeondae), is also a co-sponsor. This is practically the 'Jeonguiyeondae Protection Act' or the 'Yoon Mee-hyang Protection Act,'" he pointed out.

He continued, "The 'Comfort Women Criticism Punishment Act' seems to be an attempt to monopolize the comfort women grandmothers, whom all citizens should collectively take responsibility for, as the property of a specific organization," and criticized, "If there are related groups suspected of exploiting the comfort women grandmothers for private gain, they should be subject to even more thorough criticism and surveillance."

Furthermore, he emphasized, "The current administration is branding citizens with different opinions as deep-rooted evils and trying to punish them by law. The Democratic Party must immediately stop its 'self-sanctification' by trying to become the sole judge of history."

Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 23rd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Won Hee-ryong, former governor of Jeju and a presidential candidate from the People Power Party, also criticized, saying, "Following the Media Arbitration Act, now the Yoon Mee-hyang self-protection law?why not just make a Democratic Party criticism ban law?"

He wrote on his Facebook, "In the Media Arbitration Act, illustrations were specified to appease Cho Kuk, and YouTube was excluded to give freedom to Yoo Si-min, and now the Yoon Mee-hyang self-protection law," adding, "The Democratic Party is giving itself a 'get-out-of-jail-free card' through 'legislative rampage.'"

He questioned, "Who exactly is the Democratic Party legislating for?" and said, "Pretending to legislate for the people and victims, they are ultimately only legislating to protect themselves."

Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min’s camp spokesperson Kwon Seong-ju also issued a statement, saying, "Do not exploit the comfort women grandmothers; rather, it seems more fitting to create a 'Criminal Protection Act' or 'Extortionist Favoritism Act' for their true intentions," and criticized, "It is a malicious attempt to make it impossible to criticize those who have misappropriated the grandmothers’ wounds for personal gain."

He added, "All citizens know that the person who has most seriously damaged the honor of Japanese military comfort women victims, their families, or related organizations is Representative Yoon," criticizing her.

Earlier, on the 13th, Democratic Party lawmaker In Jae-geun introduced a bill to amend the 'Act on the Protection, Support, and Commemoration of Victims of Japanese Military Comfort Women under Japanese Colonial Rule.' The amendment stipulates that anyone who spreads false information about the comfort women issue through newspapers, broadcasts, publications, or the internet shall be punished by imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 50 million won.

The bill was co-sponsored by 10 lawmakers, including Representative Yoon, Seo Young-seok, Lee Gyu-min, Heo Jong-sik, So Byung-hoon, Choi Hye-young, Kim Min-gi, Yoon Kwan-seok, and Lee Jang-seop.

As the controversy grew, Representative Yoon rebutted, "How can you call that the Yoon Mee-hyang Protection Act? That is a victim protection law."

After concluding the 'Press Conference of Korean Women Lawmakers for the Protection of Afghan Women’s Human Rights' at the National Assembly that day, she told reporters regarding the criticism of the 'Yoon Mee-hyang Protection Act,' "Look at the contents of the bill. Yoon Mee-hyang is here right now."