"Yoon Mi-hyang is a Righteous Human Rights Activist"…First-Generation Jeongdaehyeop Activists Oppose Expulsion Statement

18 First-Generation Jeongdaehyeop Activists Criticize 'Yoon Expulsion' at Wednesday Demonstration as an Attempt to Shift Presidential Election Phase

On the 2nd, a regular Wednesday demonstration to resolve the issue of 'Japanese military comfort women' victims is being held in front of the Embassy of Japan in Seoul, Jongno-gu. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] First-generation activists of the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (Jeongdaehyeop), the predecessor of the Justice and Memory Foundation (Jeonguiyeondae), urged to "stop the push for the expulsion of independent lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang" at the Wednesday demonstration.

On the 2nd, 18 first-generation activists of Jeongdaehyeop, including former Minister of Gender Equality Ji Eun-hee (75) and former National Assembly member Lee Mi-kyung (72), issued a statement titled "Opposition Statement from First-Generation Seniors on the Expulsion of Lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang" at the 1,529th regular Wednesday demonstration held on the sidewalk in front of Somerset Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The statement was read aloud by Lee Na-young, chairperson of Jeonguiyeondae.

They said, "The charges against lawmaker Yoon, who was indicted by the prosecution, will be judged through the trial," adding, "If lawmaker Yoon is at fault, she should take responsibility, and it will not be too late to proceed with expulsion from the National Assembly then."

They continued, "We strongly oppose the National Assembly's push to expel lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang," and claimed, "The statement by Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, to swiftly handle Yoon's expulsion is an attempt to make her a scapegoat to shift the presidential election political landscape."

Independent lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang, who was indicted last August on charges including embezzlement of funds from the Justice Memory Solidarity, is heading to the courtroom of Criminal Division 11 at the Seoul Western District Court for her first trial on the afternoon of the 11th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

They further stated, "Lawmaker Yoon has been a human rights activist who has devoted her entire life day and night to the just resolution of the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery," and "From our perspective, having worked for 30 years toward a just resolution of the Japanese military 'comfort women' issue, this is not justice."

The activists raised their voices, saying, "The expulsion of lawmaker Yoon will become prey for those who want to undermine the truth of the Japanese military 'comfort women' issue and the legitimacy of the movement," and "Stop the push for expulsion in the National Assembly immediately."

Earlier, on the 25th of last month, leader Song Young-gil announced, "We will swiftly handle the expulsion proposals for lawmakers Yoon Mi-hyang, Lee Sang-jik, and Park Deok-heum, whose expulsion was recommended by the National Assembly Ethics Review Advisory Committee." Accordingly, the National Assembly Special Ethics Committee is currently submitting and discussing the expulsion proposals.