By Bae Ji-sook
More than 300,000 signatures of people demanding an apology from the Japanese government and compensation for “comfort women” forced to provide sexual services to Japanese soldiers during the World War II have been collected and will be submitted to the Japanese government and the Diet later this month.
A total of 176 lawmakers supporting the campaign will also deliver a parliamentary request to their Japanese counterparts, according to the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (KCW). Civic activists from Scotland, Canada, Australia, Germany, the U.S. and others will also participate via online signing and through Amnesty International.
Rep. Lee Mi-kyung of the Democratic Party and six former comfort women will leave for Japan on Nov. 24, after their weekly Wednesday demonstration held in front of the Japanese Embassy in central Seoul.
The symbolic delivery is to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women that falls on Nov. 25. After the formal submission, the delegation will hold a protest in front of the Diet in central Tokyo joined by 300 Japanese civic activists.
“We thought it would be great to raise awareness of the comfort women when all eyes are on violence against women,” said Yang Noh-ja, an official at the women’s network.
She said more and more people have became not only sympathetic but in favor of their claims. “Alongside our fellow Japanese civic activists, at our regular Wednesday meeting we are seeing a growing number of Japanese participants. Last week, more than half of us were Japanese,” she said.
The change can be seen in Japanese politicians, too. “Especially among the Japanese Democratic Party, there are lawmakers who share a common understanding that post-war compensation is necessary. We will request them to pay more attention to the issue,” she said.
The demands of the comfort women have been a thorny international issue for decades. An issue defined by the United Nation and the International Labor Organizations as well as others as an inhumane crime. In 2007, the U.S. Congress also passed a resolution requesting the Japanese government’s swift response to resolve it. However, the Japanese administration remains silent.
“This year marks the 100th anniversary of collapse of the Joseon Kingdom under Japanese imperialism. This is a time when both countries seek to correct bilateral relations. The signature collection will show that it is civic power that can solve tricky and rocky issues,” the KCW stated on its website.
An apology and proper compensation are urgently needed since there are only 82 victims left, the majority of whom are not in good health. “It is time to make aggressive progress,” Yang said.
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