97 years old… Only 6 surviving victims remain
Yesterday (November 11), grandmother Lee Ok-sun, a victim of the Japanese military's 'comfort women' system, passed away at around 8 PM at a nursing hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. She was 97 years old.
On November 11, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family conveyed this news and expressed deep condolences, stating, "This grandmother actively worked to raise awareness of her victimization both domestically and internationally." She had been living at the House of Sharing in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, but had been receiving treatment at a nursing hospital since March of last year due to declining health.
With this passing, only 6 survivors remain among the 240 registered 'comfort women' victims in the government registry. The average age of the survivors is 95.6 years.
Abducted to a Japanese military 'comfort station' at age 14… A life of scars and testimony
Born in Busan in 1928, grandmother Lee was forcibly taken to a comfort station in China by the Japanese military at the age of 14 in 1942. She endured severe violence and sexual exploitation, including being stabbed with a knife, leaving her with lifelong scars on her hands and feet. The aftereffects of beatings also seriously impaired her hearing, causing difficulties in daily life.
Even after liberation, she could not return to her homeland. She lived in China until finally returning to Korea in June 2000. Afterward, she dedicated herself to testimony activities aimed at resolving the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery while living at the House of Sharing.
Since her lecture at Brown University in 2002, she continued her international activities for nearly 20 years, taking the lead in urging Japan to take responsibility.
"Japan is just waiting for us to die"… Stepping on Japanese soil demanding an apology
In January 2016, shortly after the December 28 agreement between the Korean and Japanese governments, grandmother Lee publicly opposed the agreement by directly visiting Japan.
In front of reporters at the time, she expressed her frustration, saying, "We can barely walk, so think about why we came all the way here to speak." She added, "The Japanese government is waiting for the grandmothers to die." This statement is recorded as one of the sharpest revelations of the essence of the comfort women issue.
Shin Young-sook, the vice minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, expressed her condolences upon hearing the news of her passing: "I pay deep respect to this grandmother who transformed the painful memories of her suffering into testimony, even after enduring a long illness due to the aftereffects of her victimization. It is very heartbreaking to send off yet another witness of history."
The funeral is scheduled for the 14th… The remains will be spread in the seas off Incheon
A mourning hall for grandmother Lee has been set up at Hall 10 of the Gyunggi Funeral Home in Suji, Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province. The funeral is scheduled for 10 AM on the 14th, and in accordance with her wishes, the remains will be scattered in the seas off Incheon. It is said that she left a last wish stating, "The free ocean is my hometown."
The government is expected to announce a national mourning message later in the afternoon.
Image source: News1
