Gyeonggi-do, December 10th Event Commemorating Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Victims

Girim Day Web Poster

Gyeonggi Province will hold an event commemorating the victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery on the 10th at Nanumui Jip in Toechon-myeon, Gwangju City, under the theme "Yellow Butterfly - Promise of the Next Generation."

The Commemoration Day is observed annually on August 14th, marking the day when the late Kim Hak-soon first publicly testified about her experience as a victim of the Japanese military sexual slavery in 1991. This day was designated as a national memorial day to remember her courage and to raise awareness of the victims' history.

This event is organized to remember the pain of the victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery and to pass on the lessons of history to the next generation. In particular, various programs have been prepared to enable future generations, including youth and adolescents, to participate directly, take action, and remember.

The event consists of a memorial cultural festival, a commemorative ceremony, a flower offering ceremony at the victim's bust at Nanumui Jip, participation booths, and exhibitions. For citizens who find it difficult to visit, the event will be broadcast live in real-time on the Gyeonggi Provincial Government's YouTube channel.

During the event, there will also be a time to invite representatives from cities and provinces who participated in the "Flower Delivery of Memory" campaign, which was held over three weeks starting July 8th, and to share the results of the campaign.

The campaign involved delivering flowers to 139 Girl Statues nationwide by 139 individuals (or teams) and sharing certification on social networking services (SNS). A campaign sketch video will be broadcast on the day of the event, along with the flower offering ceremony at the bust in Nanumui Jip.

Kim Mi-seong, Director of the Women and Family Bureau of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "This event was prepared to reaffirm the determination not to forget the history of the victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery and to show actions of direct remembrance. Gyeonggi Province will continue to make multifaceted efforts to reveal the truth of history and restore the honor of the victims."