Yoon Mee-hyang, an independent lawmaker and former chairperson of the Justice Memory Solidarity (Jeong-ui-yeon), appeared at the Wednesday Demonstration for the first time in about three years following allegations of embezzlement of donations.
On the 8th, Yoon attended the 1586th regular Wednesday Demonstration to resolve the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery, hosted by Jeong-ui-yeon, in front of the former Japanese Embassy in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The last time Yoon attended the Wednesday Demonstration was on March 25, 2020, when she was serving as the chairperson of Jeong-ui-yeon.
Yoon said, "The past three years have been very painful and difficult," adding, "Seeing my colleagues dying and being unable to do anything, I had no choice but to keep silent. I had to keep silent to protect this movement and the activists." She continued, "Whenever I breathed, I was attacked for breathing, making even breathing uncomfortable," and said, "I reflect on that."
Yoon recalled, "I remember December 28, 2015, when the Korea-Japan governments’ agreement on comfort women was announced," raising her voice, "On that cold winter day, the grandmothers sat on this street wrapped in blankets, demanding not money but apology and compensation." She emphasized, "Justice can only be established when the voices of the victims are reflected. That is victim-centeredness."
After Lee Yong-soo, a victim of the Japanese military sexual slavery, held a press conference in May 2020 pointing out issues with Jeong-ui-yeon’s accounting transparency and raising embezzlement suspicions, Yoon did not appear at the Wednesday Demonstrations. Following continued accusations from civic groups, the prosecution launched an investigation and in September of the same year, indicted Yoon without detention on eight charges including violation of the Act on the Management of Subsidies, fraud, embezzlement in the course of duty, and breach of trust.
The first trial court, the 11th Criminal Division of the Seoul Western District Court (Presiding Judge Moon Byung-chan), on the 10th of last month, recognized only 17.18 million KRW out of 103.7 million KRW embezzlement charges as guilty, sentencing her to a fine of 15 million KRW, and acquitted her of all other charges. Both the prosecution and Yoon’s side have appealed.
After the Wednesday Demonstration on that day, Yoon said, "Because of that incident (embezzlement allegations), I came to the Wednesday Demonstration for the first time in three years. Actually, I should have come every week," adding, "I am sorry to those who kept the place in my absence." Regarding the embezzlement charges, she was reserved, saying, "I will contest them in the appeal trial."
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