By Kim Young Shin

The first official government ceremony to commemorate the International Memorial Day for Comfort Women was held at the National Mang-Hyang Cemetery in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do Province, on Aug. 14.

“Twenty-seven years ago today, Kim Hak-soon, a comfort woman victim, went public with her tragic story for the first time among surviving victims. During the following nearly three decades, noble and courageous acts by elderly victims have continued,” said President Moon Jae-in in the commemorative speech that day. “Our society’s interest in the issue has soared greatly, and the scope of our solidarity had broadened significantly, thereby encouraging many other victims in other countries.”

“Now we have to move beyond the pain of the past and put the value of global women’s rights and peace into practice,” said the president. “It is our duty to rectify the history that overlooked the truth and establish justice.”

“I hope that this issue will not lead to a diplomatic dispute between Korea and Japan. Nor do I see this is an issue that can be solved through diplomatic solutions between the two countries,” said Moon. “It is an issue that can be solved only when the world, including ourselves and Japan, deeply reflects on sexual violence against all women and human rights problem and comes to a strong awareness and learns a lesson in a way that prevents this from ever repeating again.”

In the ceremony, there were some 400 people, including victims and members of civic groups and related organizations. The monument newly erected near the Moran graveyard where the late victims are buried was unveiled to the public for the first time before the ceremony that day.

ysk1111@korea.kr