Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City to Host the 8th Memorial Day for Victims of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery

내용

Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will hold the “8th Memorial Day for Victims of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery” on August 14 at 2 p.m. in the Small Theater of the Busan Citizens’ Hall.

Hosted by the city and organized by the Busan Council of Women’s Organizations, the event will be attended by approximately 200 participants, including citizens and representatives from related institutions and organizations.

The event is held in commemoration of the National Memorial Day, “Memorial Day for Victims of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery” (August 14), which was established to raise awareness of the issue and honor the victims. The Korean government designated the day as a national memorial day in December 2017, and the city has been hosting commemorative events annually since 2018.

On August 14, 1991, the late Kim Hak-soon, a victim of Japanese military sexual slavery, publicly testified about her experience for the first time. Subsequently, in 2012, the Asian Solidarity Conference declared the day as the International Memorial Day for Victims of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery to call for a resolution to the issue.

The program will feature ▲ [Part 1] a memorial ceremony and the screening of the short animated film “The Untold Story” ▲ [Part 2] a memorial performance, including a narrated musical, poetry recitations, and performance art, as well as ▲ side events such as a memorial exhibition.

[Part 1] will include the memorial ceremony followed by a screening of “The Untold Story,” a short animated film directed by Kim Jun-gi. This work is a sequel to “A Girl’s Story,” part of the animated series “I Was Sixteen,” which addresses the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery. It is based on a recorded confession by an elderly Japanese man who managed a military comfort station.

[Part 2] will feature “Bongseonhwa – Remembering Beyond Time,” a musical performance composed of Korean art songs and musical pieces from the Japanese colonial era, along with poetry readings and memorial performances.

In addition, the theater lobby will host various citizen participation activities, including a memorial exhibition, photo zone, and a space for leaving commemorative messages.

All citizens are welcome to attend the commemorative event free of charge.

Currently, there are only six surviving victims of Japanese military sexual slavery nationwide, and since August 2020, there have been no survivors residing in Busan.

Park Seol-yeon, Director General of the Women and Family Bureau, stated, “We hope this commemorative event will serve as an opportunity to remember the lives of the victims who reminded us of the value of human rights and peace, and to ensure that such pain is never repeated by helping the next generation learn accurate historical awareness.”