COMFORT WOMEN IN KOREA
By Moteki Hiromichi,
Abstract
1Abstract: COMFORT WOMEN IN KOREA
by Kase Hideaki, Chairman, Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact
Repercussions from remarks made by Osaka City Mayor Hashimoto Toru about the so-called “comfort women” have been felt throughout the world. However, Japanese authorities never abducted women. Nor did they force them to become comfort women against their will.
Every nation has been involved in and in charge of facilities enabling soldiers to satisfy their sexual needs without the risk of contracting venereal disease when those soldiers are engaged in combat on foreign soil. The Japanese military was no exception. During World War II, Japanese military authorities established brothels and contracted with local civilian Japanese and Korean brothel operators to recruit prostitutes.
Then, how about the situation in Korea after the WW II? The results of research on comfort women in South Korea, done by a group of Korean scholars, were published in book form two years ago under the title The Military and Sexual Violence.The book provides verification that United Nations Forces (US troops) and the South Korean government were both involved in and in charge of military prostitutes from the moment the Korean War erupted.
Mr. Kase further explains the situation in his essay based on this book and wonders if we can expect to see demonstrators erect statues of comfort women — this time in front of the Korean Parliament and the US Embassy.