Dongyeon Kim Attends Comfort Women Victims Memorial Day on August 9: "All Responsibilities for Restoring Honor and Dignity"

Gyeonggi Province Governor Dongyeon Kim expressed his commitment to fulfilling all responsibilities until the honor and dignity of the victims of the Japanese military 'comfort women' are fully restored, ahead of Comfort Women Victims Memorial Day (August 14).

On August 9, Governor Kim attended the Memorial Day Commemoration Ceremony and Memorial Culture Festival held at the House of Sharing in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, where he honored the victims and made these remarks.

In his commemorative address, Governor Kim stated, "It has been 34 years since August 1991, when Grandmother Haksoon Kim first revealed the truth about her experience as a comfort woman to the world. During this time, we have not been able to provide the answer of 'complete resolution' in response to the great will and courage of the grandmothers who spoke the truth." He added, "In the meantime, 234 out of 240 grandmothers have passed away, and as we lose more grandmothers each year, each day feels increasingly urgent."

He continued, "Gyeonggi Province intends to remember the elders who left us first, as well as the many victims who disappeared without even having their real names recorded, as witnesses of history who awakened the values of peace and human rights." He further stated, "Until the day the honor and dignity of the grandmothers are fully restored, we will fulfill all responsibilities entrusted to us. I offer my deepest gratitude and respect to the grandmothers who have shown us the unwavering power of hope."

Gyeonggi Province Governor Dongyeon Kim is speaking at the Comfort Women Grandmothers Remembrance Day event held on the 9th at Mannam House in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Gyeonggi Province

Memorial Day is a national commemorative day established to remember the victims of the Japanese military 'comfort women' and to restore their honor and human rights. It is observed annually on August 14. This year's ceremony, held under the theme "Reunited Butterflies, The World as One," included the unveiling of busts of the late grandmothers Okseon Park and Okseon Lee, as well as cultural performances, sharing messages of respect and solidarity for the victims.

In particular, on this day, Gyeonggi Province unveiled a digital human representation of the late Grandmother Soondeok Kim, restored using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which drew the attention of many attendees who remembered her. The AI digital human of Grandmother Soondeok Kim is not merely a restoration of her appearance, but a comprehensive digital persona that embodies her voice, emotions, and psychological state.

Last year, to mark Memorial Day, Gyeonggi Province carried out the "Flower Delivery of Remembrance" project, delivering flowers to 139 Statue of Peace monuments nationwide over a two-week period starting from the second week of July.

Gyeonggi Province recruited participants from across the country for the flower delivery, with 138 people taking part. Governor Dongyeon Kim participated as the 139th and final flower delivery person, delivering flowers to the Statue of Peace located in front of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government and the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly buildings.

This year, as the second Flower Delivery of Remembrance project, Gyeonggi Province conducted an overseas flower delivery campaign to Statue of Peace monuments from May to July, spanning about three months. After the event, the results were released in a video.

This campaign involved placing flowers at 13 Statue of Peace monuments in seven countries: the United States, Germany, Italy, Australia, the Philippines, China, and Canada. The campaign aimed to deliver messages of respect and remembrance for the victims of 'comfort women' to Statue of Peace monuments around the world, and to continue remembrance in solidarity with global citizens.