How has our understanding of “coercion” in forced labor and the Japanese military “Comfort Women” system changed over time? This essay examines the multilayered nature of these issues, moving beyond nationalist narratives and historical denialism toward a broader understanding through the lens of universal human rights.

The irony is that Germany, which is often hailed as a “model” country for past liquidation by providing compensation to victims of wartime forced labor through government-industry collaboration, did not even include women forced into sexual slavery in the category of victims entitled to such compensation and still does not recognize their legal victim status.

In this conversation, Freedom United Executive Director Joanna Ewart-James and Kyeol examine how modern slavery is sustained by social and institutional systems, how collective action can drive meaningful change, and how historical awareness can deepen our understanding of injustices that persist today.

Testimony and publishing activities concerning wartime sexual violence and “Comfort Women” carried out by the Association of Returnees from China (Chukiren), which atoned for their perpetrators’ actions in postwar Japanese society.

Notably, the Batavia Court Martial adjudicated a case involving the Japanese military’s exploitation of Dutch women as “Comfort Women.” This stood as the only trial that addressed perpetrators who abducted women for the purpose of forced prostitution among post-World War II war crime tribunals under international law.

 Panel: Nam Kijeong (Institute for Japanese Studies, Seoul National University)/ Cho Yanghyeon (Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security)/ Cho Sihyeon (The Center of Historical Truth and Justice)

Legal experts and “Comfort Women” movement activists reflect on the 34-year legal struggle to resolve the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” issue.

The “Comfort Women” system was not only a violation of women’s rights, but also a grave infringement of children’s rights. In this article, Professor Ñusta Carranza Ko examines how imperial Japanese authorities systematically violated the rights of underage girls, in direct contravention of international conventions of the time, reframing the issue as a case of child rights violations.

While warfare continues inflicting damage and suffering in today’s world, and rape of women is still used as an instrument of armed conflicts, it is critical to bring the narratives of the “Comfort Women” into public memory.

Kwon Myung-ah/Kim Heonju/So Hyun-suk/Yeo Sun-ju/Yoon Myung-sook/Lee Seon-i /Lim Hyung-wha/Jo Gyeonghee/Jeong Yongsuk/Heo Yun 

The photo exhibition , in which the victims of the Japanese Military ‘Comfort Women’ (called ‘Comfort Women’) from South Korea and North Korea join together, was held from March 6 to 11 at Exhibition Hall 2 of the Insa Art Center. 

The suffering of the Japanese Military “Comfort Women,” one of the most tragic human rights abuses of the 20th century, should be preserved and managed as historical documentary heritage. This is crucial to prevent such atrocities from recurring and provide a lesson to future generations.