S. Korea Seeks Solution for Victims of Japan's Wartime Sexua
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2020 2:02 am
FILE - Lee Yong-soo who was forced to serve as a sex slave for Japanese troops during World War Two, touches the face of a statue symbolizing the issue of wartime 'comfort women' during its unveiling ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 14, 2019.
The government of South Korea says it will continue to seek a "realistic" and "practicable" solution for victims of Japan's military wartime sexual slavery.
President Moon Jae-in issued a video message for the “comfort women” Memorial Day on Friday.
"The most important principle in resolving the issue is to focus on victims,” Moon said. “Until the victims tell us that they are fine, we will seek a solution that they can accept. We will carry out investigations, research and education to set the history straight so that more students and citizens get to share the pains of the victims and be in solidarity with the victims."
South Korea declared August 14 as the country's official Memorial Day for the victims of sexual slavery in December 2017 and held nationwide commemoration for the first time in 2018.
On August 14, 1991, South Korean Kim Hak-Soon spoke for the first time publicly at a news conference about her experiences as a sexual slave for the Japanese military during World War Two.
Her testimony encouraged other survivors of sexual slavery across Asia to tell their stories.