Commemorative and memorial events were held across various locations in Gyeongnam to mark the Memorial Day for Victims of Japanese Military 'Comfort Women'.
On the 14th, the Gyeongnam Provincial Government delivered commemorative records and memorial flowerpots, which were self-produced using Gyeongnam-designated archival materials, to over 30 middle and high schools in the province where the 'Little Statue of a Girl' has been erected, commemorating the day together with students.
The movement to erect the Little Statue of a Girl began in 2015 at the suggestion of the Ewha Girls' High School history club 'Jumeokdokki', with the aim of remembering the lives of Japanese military 'comfort women' victims and restoring their human rights and honor, signifying the participation of youth in this cause.
A memorial ceremony for the victims of the Japanese military 'comfort women' was held at Masan Muhak Girls' High School in Changwon, Gyeongnam, where a small statue of a girl was installed. [Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]
Since 2016, Gyeongnam Province has held memorial ceremonies each year on this day, but this year, the commemoration was carried out as a project together with youth.
Among the Gyeongsangnam-do designated archival materials No. 1-1, testimonies of Japanese military 'comfort women' victims in the province and records drawn by local students of the victims were used to directly produce commemorative records that can be permanently displayed alongside the Little Statue of a Girl.
Chrysanthemums, symbolizing remembrance, and forget-me-not flowerpots, whose flower language is 'Do not forget me', were also directly delivered to the middle and high schools where the Little Statue of a Girl is installed.
A unveiling ceremony for the Statue of Peace was held in front of the Yangsan Library of the Gyeongnam Office of Education in Mulgeum-eup, Yangsan-si, Gyeongnam. [Photo by Gyeongnam Office of Education]
A Peace Statue unveiling ceremony was held in front of the Yangsan Library of the Gyeongnam Provincial Office of Education.
The Peace Statue was established through a fundraising campaign by the Yangsan Citizens' Promotion Committee for the Kim Bokdong Peace Park, in memory of the late Kim Bokdong, a native of Yangsan.
Superintendent Park Jonghun attended the unveiling ceremony and stated, "Memories we do not want to recall force us to tremble in fear each time we remember, so anyone would want to bury them, but the late Kim Bokdong fought until the end," adding, "We must engrave her righteous cry in our hearts and take the lead in revealing the truth of history."
Geoje City held a commemorative ceremony and a youth art contest awards ceremony at the small theater of the Geoje Culture and Arts Center, and laid flowers in front of the statue of a girl at the small park of the center.
A memorial cultural festival for the victims of the Japanese military 'comfort women' was held at Odongdong Cultural Square in Masanhappo-gu, Changwon, Gyeongnam. [Photo by Machangjin Citizens' Group with Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Grandmothers]
The Machangjin Citizens' Group with Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Grandmothers held a memorial cultural festival at Odong-dong Culture Square in Masanhappo-gu.
The Gyeongnam School Nutritionists' Association, which participated in the cultural festival, also submitted a proposal to the Gyeongnam Office of Education Future Education Center to erect statues of Japanese military 'comfort women' and forced laborers.
August 14, the Memorial Day for Victims of Japanese Military 'Comfort Women', is the day when the late Kim Haksoon first publicly testified about her experiences as a victim.
In December 2017, with the passage of a revision to the law regarding protection, support, and commemorative projects for victims of Japanese military 'comfort women' under Japanese colonial rule, this day was designated as a national memorial day.
The reason single quotation marks are used around the term 'comfort women' is to clarify that it is a Japanese term, not a Korean one, and to reject the original meaning of 'comfort', which implies 'to console and put at ease'.
Furthermore, in order to clearly identify the perpetrator, 'Japanese military' is always specified before 'comfort women'.
According to Gyeongnam Province, as of August 14, 2024, there is only one surviving victim of Japanese military 'comfort women' in the province. Nationwide, only nine remain.
Gyeongnam Province manages a total of 37,485 related records, including oral histories of surviving victims, relics, photographs, truth-finding activities, and problem-solving efforts, as the first local government in the country to designate and manage such archival materials.
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