Survivors urge remembrance on 'Comfort Women' Commemoration Day

A gathering of over 200 people braved a downpour in Seoul to mark the 14th World War Against Japanese Military Sexual Slavery Commemoration Day. Participants, wearing yellow and purple butterfly ribbons on their chests, gathered near the former Japanese Embassy to demand justice and remembrance for the victims.

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This is not just any day, it is Commemoration Day. You must never forget. Everyone, please stay healthy, and I will never forget your help.

The event, known as the "Butterfly Cultural Festival," was held in full near the "Statue of Peace" for the first time in six years. Barriers that had surrounded the statue since 2020 due to concerns of vandalism by far-right groups were removed in May. A continuous stream of visitors took photos with the statue, some embracing it.

Commemoration Day, observed on August 14, honors the first public testimony of sexual slavery by victim Kim Hak-soon in 1991. It was designated a legal anniversary by the South Korean government in 2017. Surviving victims, including Lee Yong-soo, 98, sent video messages expressing their enduring gratitude and urging attendees to "never forget." Another survivor, Park Pil-keun, 98, also conveyed thanks and reiterated demands for an apology and compensation from Japan.

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I want to receive compensation from Japan and an apology. Thank you for coming to the Butterfly Cultural Festival.

As the number of survivors dwindles due to old age, concerns are growing about preparing for a future without them. Currently, only five survivors remain. "As long as there are people who remember, history will not be erased," said Han Kyung-hee, chairperson of the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Victims of Military Sexual Slavery. She expressed hope that the collective will of the victims and the public would create a "greater wind of peace" to push back against war, violence, discrimination, and hatred.

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As long as there are people who remember, history will not be erased. May the strong wishes of the victims and our strong wishes meet and become a greater wind of peace that pushes back against war, violence, discrimination, and hatred.

Participants issued a declaration demanding that the Japanese government acknowledge its war crimes, apologize, and provide legal reparations. They also called for an end to historical revisionism and for educational measures to prevent recurrence, alongside a halt to military expansionism. The South Korean government was urged to do its utmost for the victims' honor and to ensure Japan fulfills its responsibilities. The attendees pledged solidarity against violence and hatred, vowing to raise their voices and unite with global civil society for a world free from war, violence, and discrimination.

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We will raise our voices louder and firmly unite with global civil society to create a world without war, violence, and hatred.