Have you heard about ‘Japanese Military
Sexual Slavery’? During the World War II, Japan mobilized their army to use
Korean girls as the sexual slaves for their soldiers. They locked the girls in rape
center and raped them. The girls didn’t know that this horrible incident would
happen to them because they were told that they can have jobs and earn money if
they followed the soldiers. Yes, the girls were deceived. Some of the girls were
even kidnapped. Their average age was just 13. They were sexually assaulted
until Japan unconditionally surrendered. But the girls were left behind. Some
of them came back on their own; some of them went to another country because
they were shameful, but most of them died.
I strongly assert that you guys should know
about this. This is the thing that might happen again somewhere in global village if WE don’t have any
ideas about it! I will mention what happened next on my second letter. Until
then, take care!
-Script-
1. This is the story of what actually happened in a city in July 2012.
2. This city is a capital of a country.
3. In fact, it is a metropolitan area where over ten million people live.
4. Right now, they are going about their busy lives.
5. Some time ago, a statue of a girl was placed in this city.
6. It was in front of the Japanese embassy.
7. One day, it was raining heavily in the city.
8. The girl was getting rained on.
9. She was not a real girl though.
10. So, nobody cared about the girl in the rain.
11. But, one man noticed her and walked up to her.
12. He started staring at her.
13. After a while, he didn’t see a statue anymore.
14. To his eyes, there was a real girl in front of him.
15. He couldn’t stand looking at her getting soaked in the rain, and put his umbrella over her.
16. Someone took a picture of them, and tweeted the picture.
17. The picture started to rapidly spread on the internet.
18. Some cried for the girl.
19. Some were overwhelmed with emotion from what he did for her.
20. Most of all, many felt sorry for the girl.
21. As the picture was spreading, unusual things started happening.
22. People started following his example.
23. A student put a scarf around her neck to protect her from cold.
24. An old lady left flowers in front of her.
25. A boy left her a gift with a letter.
26. Such miracles are happening every day in this busy city.
27. People asked the man who started this.
28. “What made you hold the umbrella over the statue?”
29. In his interview with a radio station, he explained the reason.
30. “I saw the rain falling into her eyes and turning into tears.”
31. “I felt like she was really crying.”
32. “I knew it was actually rain, but I still felt sorry for her.”
33. So, I put my umbrella over her and wiped the rain off her face.
34. He felt sympathy for her and tried to share her sadness.
35. The statue of the girl actually represents “a comfort woman.”
36. The story goes back to WWII.
37. The statue was erected to commemorate the girls who lost their youth and dreams during the war.
38. Japan forced many Asian girls into sexual slavery for the Japanese military.
39. They lost their youth in military brothels, and have now become elderly women.
40. We remember the massacre of the Jews by Nazi Germany during WWII. It is called ‘the Holocaust.”
41. Terrible war crimes also happened in Asia. “Comfort women” was one of the worst.
42. More than 200 thousand women were forcibly taken to military brothels.
43. They were forced to serve as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers.
44. Their souls and dreams were lost to inhumane slavery.
45. The war eventually ended with the defeat of Japan and Germany.
46. After the war, the German government took full responsibility for the Holocaust.
47. Germany made a sincere apology and compensated the victims.
48. However, the Japanese government simply denies the existence of “comfort women.”
49. Japan refuses to take responsibility. No apology has been made to the victims.
50. International organizations, such as the UN, and NGOs have come forward to help.
51. They urge the Japanese government to acknowledge its responsibility and compensate former “comfort women.”
52. The Japanese government continues to refuse to take responsibility.
53. Surviving victims, now elderly women, also came forward.
54. From 1992 to the present, their destination is always the same, the Japanese embassy.
55. Every Wednesday for the past 20 years, they have held a protest in front of the embassy.
56. Citizens of this city erected the comfort woman statue to remember the lives of these victims.
57. The statue came into existence thanks to voluntary donations from citizens.
58. The girl of the statue represents those who had to live in sexual slavery during the war.
59. She sits on a chair alone. The empty chair embodies the lost time and dreams of those women.
60. Many years have passed, and those girls became old ladies with deep sorrow.
61. Passing by the statue, citizens of this city hear her voice.
62. The statue is not just a cold, bronze statue.
63. In the minds of the people, she turns into a real girl and starts speaking.
64. Would you sit by me and listen to my story?”
65. She doesn’t just talk about the past.
66. My story is not just about a girl from a country that lost its sovereignty over 100 years ago.
67. It is a story for all of us who are concerned about peace in Asia and the future of the world.
68. The city in this story is Seoul, the capital of Korea.
69. The girl in the story is Korean, who lived here in the 1900s.
70. But, it is not just about this one girl.
71. She speaks for many other people, who suffered from Japanese imperialism.
72. Many Asian countries still live with the wounds of their past.
73. Without the proper settlement of historical issues, history can repeat itself in unwanted ways.
74. Thus, this is a story for all of us who are concerned about the future.
75. Imagine yourself sitting by the girl. She will start talking to you. “May we speak?”
76. VANK hopes for your attention to the victims of Japanese imperialism.
77. Please listen to our story and give us your support.
78. Please become our friends and support our effort to settle historical issues.
79. Your support will help us build sustainable peace in Asia.
80. Together we will build peace in the world.
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