Endless fight until official apology from Japan

“We were deceived by the Japanese who said that we were to work at a factory to lift up their spirits during the war…”

Formerly victimized as a comfort women drafted for military sexual slavery by the Japanese military, 90-year-old Kim Bok-dong (photo) stopped for a moment and sighed deeply, as if a slice of her tragic memory resurfaced when a 14-year-old girl was taken away by the Japanese soldiers.

Kim participated in the interview at the “Our Peaceful Home” – a nest for sexual slavery victims – run by the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan War located in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The interview was held on Monday, drawing close to a year since the two countries agreed on settling the comfort women issue.

“The government struck a deal (on the sexual slavery issue) without any consensus from us, giving the image as if ‘we volunteered," Kim pouring out sharp criticisms on the governments of both nations. "In no circumstances will we negotiate with Japan unless they make an official apology, recover our reputation, and make legal compensations.” At the current time, Kim and other 10 victims are against the recent bilateral settlement, and are refusing to accept cash support from the “Reconciliation and Healing Foundation.”

The interview gradually touched on the topic of a girl statue symbolizing Korean comfort women. Patting the small model of the same statue gently as if she was holding a baby, Kim said, “I get this strange feeling whenever I turn around from that statue. It’s like leaving my baby sister alone in a foreign country.”

Kim stood up as the first Korean woman to disclose the tragic damages caused to Korean comfort women at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in 1993. For the past 23 years, she has travelled around the world in efforts to raise the awareness of the issue globally, get an official apology and restitution from the Japanese government. “Until few years ago, I was never tired when I was abroad, but I’m too old and get easily tired,” she said. Among the remaining 40 victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery, Kim is one of healthy women. Still, Kim lost much of her vision in her left eye in recent years due to her great age.

　

Nonetheless, Kim was firm on her “endless fight.” Gazing far out with her still-visible right eye, she said, “So many victims had to leave this world with such painful grudge in their hearts. We have to do our utmost efforts and fight for justice.” While the Korean government regarded the recent settlement as a diplomatic achievement, the issue was a matter of life and death for Kim which will never end so easily.

The last Wednesday rally for this year was held in front of the former Japanese embassy in Korea at Jongno-gu, Seoul. The rally was held as a memorial ceremony for the seven victims who died this year, and Kim again appeared in front of the public with her microphone.

Ho-Kyeong Kim kimhk@donga.com