Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun: "What the Grandmothers Who Suffered as Japanese Military Sex Slaves Want Is Sincere Apology and Proper Compensation"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Suwon Special City Mayor Lee Jae-jun stressed that "what the grandmothers who suffered as Japanese military sex slaves want is Japan's sincere apology and proper compensation."

Mayor Lee attended the '11th World Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Victims Memorial Day' event '记忆就是历史的正义' held at Seomun Square, Jangan Park in Suwon on the 13th, and stated this point, saying "when the memorial day event started ten years ago, there were 58 surviving victim grandmothers, but now only 9 remain," and added "I hope the Japanese government will apologize to the grandmothers as soon as possible and that history will be corrected."

He continued, "thanks to Suwon Peace Butterfly and citizens, the history of the grandmothers who suffered as Japanese military sex slaves has not been forgotten," and said "I am grateful to all those who have stood together with the grandmothers consistently over these ten years."

Today's memorial day event was co-hosted by Suwon Peace Butterfly and the 11th August 14 World Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Victims Memorial Day Promotion Committee, and was sponsored by Suwon City.

The 'World Japanese Military Comfort Women Memorial Day' is a day to commemorate victims of Japanese military sexual slavery worldwide. At the '11th Asia Solidarity Conference for Resolution of the Japanese Military Comfort Women Issue' held in Taiwan in 2012, August 14 was designated as the 'World Comfort Women's Day.'

August 14 is the day when Grandmother Kim Hak-sun (1924–1997), a victim of Japanese military comfort women, first made public testimony about her experience as a Japanese military comfort woman. Grandmother Kim refuted the Japanese government's claims and exposed the atrocities committed by the Japanese military.

Domestically, in December 2017, the partial amendment to the 'Act on Protection, Support, and Memorial Projects for Victims of Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' under Japanese Colonial Rule' was passed, and the 'Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Victims Memorial Day' previously held by civil organizations was designated as a national memorial day.

The commemoration ceremony, which began with a moment of silence, proceeded with remarks from Lee Ju-hyun, standing representative of 'Suwon Peace Butterfly' which works to restore the honor and human rights of victims of Japanese military sexual slavery, tributes from Suwon City Mayor Lee Jae-jun and Suwon City Council Speaker Kim Ki-jung, citizen cultural performances, and the reading of the 11th Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Victims Memorial Day Declaration.

The 11th August 14 World Japanese Military 'Comfort Women' Victims Memorial Day Promotion Committee is composed of Galilei Church, Gyeonggi Peace Education Center, Maewon Church, Suwon Civil Society Organizations Council, Suwon Women's Association, Suwon Youth Sexual Human Rights Center, Suwon Peace Butterfly Human Rights Lecturers Group, Youth and Youth NGO An Ah Ju Se Yo, Suwon Democratic Succession Project Association, and Suwon YWCA.