[CARD NEWS: Opinion] A comfort woman, whose wounds still remain even, after her death
1) In 1935, a 17-year-old Korean girl was taken away from her family by Japanese policemen. Without even knowing why, she was moved to a Japanese military brothel where she was forced into sexual slavery over seven years. The girl, Lee Soon-deok, was one of the “comfort women” — thousands of Korean victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery.
2) In Tuesday morning, Lee passed away at the age of 99 with her deep wound unhealed. Lee, who was the oldest among the 39 remaining comfort women, devoted her life to getting a sincere apology from the Japanese government over the sex slavery issue, which has long been a source of friction between Japan and Korea.
3) Lee was called “camellia granny,” as she withstood severe ordeals, just like the camellia flower, which never withers during winter.
4) “I wish many people come to my place and eat meals with relish.”
She often said that quote during her life, referring it as her wish.
5) Despite her wish, few people stepped in her place on the first day of her funeral. Only the flowers sent by the government officials filled the emptied place.
6) While the officials only sent over flowers, the name of a remarkable government official was found on the guest book. The figure was Yun Byung-se, Foreign Affairs Minister of Korea.
7) However, it turned out that Yun never actually visited the funeral, but had his junior staff go to the place and write down his name on the guest book.
8) Yun was at the core of the landmark deal on the comfort women issue struck in December of 2015. The deal was mainly about the Korean government agreeing to a Japanese apology and a multimillion-dollar fund for the victims. The settlement, what they claimed to be “final and irreversible,” spurred outcry among the victims, however. Many criticized the deal, saying it was made by the government without fair communication with the victims.
9) Yun also once showed negative views of a statue symbolizing the comfort women, saying that it is “not desirable.”
10) Just like the late Lee, the only thing the victims want is not money, but a sincere apology from the Japanese government. However, many questioned whether the Foreign Affairs Minister of Korea really did its best to listen to what the victims said.
11) Of course it is not mandatory for the minister to visit the funeral. He might have been busy with his schedule. In addition, contentious diplomatic matters cannot always be resolved in the way we want.
12) Nevertheless, many still question the sincerity of his attitude. Did he really have to be superficial, even at the last moment of someone’s life?
Directed by Lee Jeong-bong
Constructed by Kim Min-pyo
Designed by Bae Seok-yeong
Translated by Son Min-young
Edited by James Constant
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)