Shovels-ready, but tasks remain for Korean 'comfort women' museum

By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, March 5 (Yonhap) -- On Sunday, ground will be broken at the heart of Seoul
for a human rights museum to honor the memory of thousands of Korean women who
became sex slaves of Japanese soldiers during World War II.

More than 17 years have passed since the surviving women -- now mostly in their
80s -- began their weekly protest outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul demanding
proper apology and compensation, and four years since female activists rolled up
their sleeves to raise enough funds to build the museum.
It may still take more time until the museum is fully constructed, however, amid
money shortages and disputes over the location of the building.
"We need the museum not only for these women but to remember how females were
deprived of their human rights during war," said Kim Dong-hee, an official at the
Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan. "Who will
tell our descendants of the history after these women pass away? The museum is
not really for the women -- it's for us."
Dozens of the World War II sex slaves, better known here as "comfort women," have
been holding protests outside the Japanese Embassy every Wednesday since 1992.
Many died without receiving an official apology from the Japanese government and
only about 120 women remain. The Japanese government continues to ignore the
voice of these women and recommendations from international organizations to
offer them legal compensation and an apology.
The comfort women council began to work on construction of the museum in 2004
with a mere 11 million won (US$7,100) donated by 11 comfort women. In about four
years, the council has managed to raise 1.7 billion won, less than half the money
needed to build the three-story building.
"We still need at least 2 billion won to complete the construction of the
museum," Kim said. "We are desperate for donations from business groups and the
government. I can't understand the lack of interest from our own people."
The location of the building has also sparked unpleasant disputes.
The city has given permission to build the museum inside the Seodaemun
Independence Park, formerly the Seoul Prison and home to monuments commemorating
the country's independence activists during the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial rule.
The Korea Liberation Association, a group of independence fighters and their
descendants, is against the plan, however, claiming the museum will "defame" the
liberation activists.
"We are not against the construction of the museum itself, but the fact that it
is going to be built inside the park," the association said in a press conference
last year. "We plan to ask the government to revoke its permission."
The comfort women council claims Japan's colonization and sex slavery are closely
related issues and an integral part of Japan's past wrongdoings and therefore the
museum should be built in the park.
"Comfort women are not a shameful aspect of our past. They are victims of our
history that have shown courage and hope," Kim said. "We hope the liberation
association will change its mind for the sake of the country and its better
future."
hayney@yna.co.kr
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