Hwaseong Special City Commemorates Day of Remembrance for Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Victims, Reflects on Values of Peace and Human Rights
Hwaseong Special City (Mayor Jung Myung-geun) and the Committee for the Establishment of the Peace Girls Statue held a commemoration ceremony for the Day of Remembrance for Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Victims on the 14th at the auditorium of the Hwaseong City History Museum.
The ceremony was held to remember painful history, empathize with the suffering of victims, and reflect together with citizens on the values of peace and human rights.
The Day of Remembrance is a legal commemoration day for the restoration of dignity and honor of Japanese military 'comfort women' victims. It was established to commemorate the day when the late Grandma Kim Hak-sun made the first public testimony on August 14, 1991, revealing the suffering of 'comfort women' and bringing the issue to international attention.
The ceremony was attended by approximately 120 people, including Mayor Jung Myung-geun of Hwaseong Special City, Lee Gye-cheol, Chair of the Hwaseong Special City Council, Kim Sook-ja, Chair of the Committee for the Establishment of the Peace Girls Statue, National Assembly Member Song Ok-joo, provincial and city council members, and citizens. The event proceeded with remarks, tributes, letter readings, memorial performances, and a wreath-laying ceremony.
In particular, the venue featured citizen participation programs including hands-on experience making keychains and keycaps to help citizens remember the significance of the day, as well as a message board where citizens could write words of comfort for the Japanese military 'comfort women' victims. Citizens participated in various programs, reflecting on and jointly remembering the suffering of the victims.
Additionally, an elementary school student read a letter addressed to the Japanese military 'comfort women' victims, drawing empathy from attendees. It was a meaningful time to look back on painful history from a child's perspective and jointly contemplate the meaning of peace.
In his tribute remarks, Mayor Jung Myung-geun of Hwaseong Special City stated, "I offer my sincere respect and heartfelt consolation to the Japanese military 'comfort women' victims and their families," adding, "Although only five victims remain among us today, more than one million people in Hwaseong Special City remember that painful history and truth. Hwaseong Special City will continue to preserve that memory of one million people so it does not fade or scatter with time, and we will safeguard the values of peace and human rights together with our citizens."
Meanwhile, the Hwaseong City Committee for the Establishment of the Peace Girls Statue erected Peace Girls Statues at Dongtan Central Park on August 14, 2014, and at Maehyangri Peace Ecological Park on April 2, 2022. Since then, committee members have continued ongoing management activities including cleaning the statues and environmental improvement around them.