By Honorary Reporter Marianna Szucs from Hungary

The Korean Cultural Center in London hosts a diversity of literary events. Its monthly book event "Korean Literature Nights" has grown so popular that even the most devoted regulars face challenges to get tickets, especially to Q&As with visiting Korean authors.

I had attended events on the "comfort women," or a euphemism for women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese imperial military before and during World War II, like discussions, lectures and screenings of documentaries and big-screen movies. Thus I attended on Feb. 21 a lecture given by Ahn Yon-son, a professor and chair of Korean Studies at Goethe University of Germany, on her recent book "Whose Comfort? Body, Sexuality and Identities of Korean 'Comfort Women' and Japanese Soldiers during WWII."

She explored the complexity of the sex slaves issue like how the female body can symbolize the body of a nation, thus violating the female body can be interpreted as doing the same to the country and shaming national pride. She also spoke of how society stigmatized the victims and encouraged collective amnesia of the crime, and how "irrepressible" male sexuality
"legitimized" the sex slave system.

Ahn also asked the audience to imagine the horror of a war in which veterans remember the victims as the last remaining light of humanity and their positive, "peaceful" and sweet memories of the sex slaves.

The professor urged that the sex slave issue should lead to global solidarity and higher awareness as sexual abuse occurs not only during war but also in peacetime. This was the first time that I heard of such a proposal.

She said global conferences on sexual violence could raise awareness of the issue and get like-minded professionals to initiate conversation and break the silence on the topic. For example, the Korean Angels charity group is implementing amazing initiatives in Asia; the aims are not simply to remember the past but progressively carry out projects to inform and involve young people in the process.

I left the event thinking that the world must join forces to educate the younger generation under the goal of ending the exploitation, abuse and harassment of women and all humankind.

chaey0726@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean