"First Wednesday Protest After Human Rights Commission's 'Active Protection of Assemblies' Recommendation... 'Decision Welcomed and Appreciated'"

Justice Network Holds 1527th Regular Wednesday Demonstration on 19th
First Rally After Human Rights Commission's Emergency Relief Recommendation
Conservative Groups Hold Counter Rally... Ends Without Clashes

Justice Action Network holds the 1,527th regular Wednesday demonstration.
Photo by Song Seung-yoon

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The Justice and Memory Foundation (Jeonguiyeokyeondae) held the 1527th regular Wednesday demonstration on the 19th near the former Japanese Embassy in Jongno-gu, Seoul. This was the first Wednesday demonstration held after the National Human Rights Commission issued a recommendation that the police actively protect the Wednesday demonstrations from opposing rallies.

The demonstration was held on a small scale with about 40 participants, including officials from the Justice and Memory Foundation. As with previous Wednesday demonstrations, this demonstration was held not near the “Statue of Peace,” which had been used as the usual rallying spot, but in front of the Somerset Palace building. The Justice and Memory Foundation had relocated the demonstration site several times after some conservative groups occupied the usual rallying spot.

Lee Na-young, director of the Justice and Memory Foundation, said in the weekly report, “The Human Rights Commission recommended that the police restrain and investigate acts of defamation and insults against participants and interference with the Wednesday demonstrations, and actively encouraged changing the time and place of the rallies.” She added, “We welcome and appreciate this. Through this, we have once again confirmed the status of the Human Rights Commission, which has worked to protect human rights and promote democracy in the Republic of Korea.”

Director Lee said, “Their ultimate goal is not to stop the Wednesday demonstrations but to shake the constitutional order of the Republic of Korea with imperialist and colonialist historical views and to undermine the values of democracy, equality, and human rights.” She continued, “We will not yield to any slander or insults and will protect the human rights and honor of the victims while maintaining the world’s longest-running Wednesday demonstration.”

They urged, “The chief of Jongno Police Station and affiliated officers must fully resolve human rights violations and discriminatory acts occurring at the Wednesday demonstrations in accordance with the Human Rights Commission’s recommendations,” and called for “the complete blocking of rallies aimed at disrupting the Wednesday demonstrations.” They also demanded that the opposing rally side stop interfering with the Wednesday demonstrations and apologize to the victims. The Justice and Memory Foundation also urged the Japanese government to “offer sincere apologies based on acknowledgment of facts and truth-finding regarding the victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery system and promise to prevent recurrence.”

Counter-rally by conservative groups near the Statue of Peace.
Photo by Song Seung-yoon

Nearby, conservative groups held counter-rallies. On the day, conservative groups such as the Liberty Solidarity, the Joint Action to Abolish the Comfort Women Law, and the Mothers’ Unit held rallies holding placards with slogans like “Remove the Comfort Women Statue” and “Stop the Wednesday Demonstrations, Disband Jeonguiyeokyeondae.”

The police set up order maintenance lines and deployed officers throughout the area to prepare for possible clashes between the two sides. Whenever heated remarks were made by the conservative groups, the police issued warnings through broadcasts, saying, “Please refrain from insulting or defaming other groups. Even if not restrained on site, legal action may be taken later based on recorded evidence.” When the warnings continued, the conservative groups protested, but the rallies ended without major physical clashes.

Earlier, a network of five organizations supporting victims of the Japanese military 'comfort women,' including Jeonguiyeokyeondae, filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission earlier this month, claiming that the police were responding sluggishly to interference with the Wednesday demonstrations and requested emergency relief measures. In response, on the 17th, the Human Rights Commission recommended to the chief of Jongno Police Station to actively encourage the opposing rally side to change the time and place of their rallies to prevent interference with the regular Wednesday demonstrations. It also recommended that the police urge or warn the opposing rally side on site not to engage in acts of interference, defamation, or insults against participants, and to actively restrain and investigate if participants request punishment. The police plan to review the recommendations and soon announce their position regarding acceptance of the recommendations.