South Korean artist who created a monument to convey the comfort women issue is shocked by sexual crimes

On the 5th of this month, the South Korean city of Seoul removed a monument in the center of the city that commemorated the comfort women issue for future generations. The artist who designed the monument was found guilty of indecent assault.
Measures taken accordingly. On the other hand, former comfort women support group ``Solidarity for Justice and Memory to Solve the Issue of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery'' (Seigiren) objected, calling it a ``measure to erase history,'' and temporarily tried to block the removal.
. According to South Korean media, the monument depicting the names of former comfort women and images of the women being taken away is located in the ``Memory Square'' built in 2016 in Namsan Park in Jung-gu, Seoul.
It was in the "place". The monument was created by artist Lim Ok-san and was installed seven years ago. At that time, a ``Establishment Promotion Committee'' was created by women's movement groups and civil society.
In addition, donations were collected from citizens. Former comfort women also participated in the unveiling ceremony in 2016. However, Mr. Hayashi, who was accused of forcible indecency against an employee of the research institute he runs, was sentenced to 10 years in court in the first trial last month.
He was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years. In response to this, there are calls for the monument to be removed, as it is inappropriate to install a comfort women work created by a person who committed a sexual crime.
has increased. In a public opinion poll conducted by the city of Seoul among citizens, 65% said they should remove it. Seoul Mayor Oh Sehun said it was removed as ``an insult to former comfort women.''
It was determined. It is surprising that an author who created a work to pass on the comfort women issue to future generations committed a sexual crime, but the Justice Federation strongly opposes it. “The artist who committed indecency showed no remorse (
"I'm angry that we joined in the action for comfort women," he said, but added, "I don't understand why the removal should be done so quickly. They're just trying to erase history using Ms. Hayashi as an excuse."
criticized the response. Members of the Justice Federation staged a protest in front of the monument on the morning of the 4th, attempting to prevent its removal.
However, Seoul City removed the monument on the 5th, one day behind schedule. this
In response, the Hankyoreh newspaper, a Korean newspaper, said, ``The sculptures in the ``Place of Memory'' are not Mr. Hayashi's individual works, but are ``collective creations'' made with donations from more than 20,000 people. hasty withdrawal
There is also a backlash that the measures taken are not appropriate." According to the paper, Hayashi's removed work ``Navels of the World'' was decorated with paintings by feminist artists. Mr. Hayashi, who was also removed
In response to a request from one of the former comfort women, his work ``Eye of the Earth'' is engraved with testimonies and names of victim women extracted from the ``Comfort Women's Testimony.'' Those who question the removal say, ``Mr. Hayashi's
"Does everything have to be destroyed because of this mistake, including the pictures of the comfort women, their names, and even their voices saying, ``I want you to never forget them?''
On the other hand, in an editorial published on the 5th, Chosun Ilbo criticized the Justice League, which took action to prevent the removal. Same paper
``It is difficult to understand why an organization that has been supporting the comfort women victims and campaigning for women's rights could do something like this.'' On top of that, the Justice Federation has been supporting former comfort women.
She points out that through her activities, she has denounced the barbaric acts of the Japanese Empire (colonial Japan), which violated women's human rights during the war, and brought them into public debate. ``In that case, the crime of forcible indecency is
It is only natural that he is more angry about sin than anyone else. However, they are taking the opposite action,'' and added, ``It seems that ``protecting people's artists'' is a more important issue for Justice League than ``support for comfort women victims'' and ``women's human rights.''
criticized. Regarding the Justice League, the former head of the organization, Yoon Mi-hyang (currently an independent member of the National Assembly), was indicted on charges of misappropriating donations to the organization for personal purposes, and is currently on trial.
. Chosun Ilbo questioned the seriousness of former comfort women's support activities, saying, ``The incident involving Rep. Yun Mi-hyang is probably no coincidence,'' in conjunction with the Justice League movement to prevent the monument's removal.