Temple to hold memorial service for 'comfort women' on Aug. 30

Hwangryeonsa Temple in Busan will host a memorial service and reconciliation festival for victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery, known as 'comfort women,' on August 30. The event, organized by the Institute for Ethnic Aesthetics, aims to bring peace and reconciliation for these women.

The tradition began in 1993 as a 'jeongsin-dae haewon sangsaeng daedonggut' (a grand ritual for reconciliation) on Haeundae Beach. It has since evolved into the 'comfort women' reconciliation festival, continuing to honor the victims.

This year's ceremony, coinciding with the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese rule, will specifically honor both the 'comfort women' and female independence fighters from the anti-Japanese movement. They will be recognized as 'mothers of the earth' within Korea's modern historical narrative.

The event will commence with a memorial service at 10 a.m., followed by performances in the afternoon. These include a 'Gaebyeok Nanjang' dance by the creative mask dance troupe Jikigeumji and Suju Talchum, as well as Buddhist dances and a singing festival.