Lee vows to restore honor of women sexually enslaved by imperial Japan

President Lee Jae Myung pledged on Friday to restore the honor of South Korean women who were sexually enslaved by Japan during World War II. In his message, delivered at a ceremony commemorating the "comfort women", Lee emphasized that Seoul would play a central role in promoting human rights and peace values across Asia. Historians estimate that up to 200,000 women, primarily from Korea, were forced to work in front-line brothels for Japanese soldiers during the war, which lasted from 1910 to 1945 when Korea was a Japanese colony.

South Korea observes August 14 as the annual day to honor the victims of sexual slavery by Japan, marking the first public disclosure by a victim in 1991. Lee highlighted the importance of sharing this painful memory to engrave the lesson that history should not be forgotten, preventing similar tragedies from recurring. He stressed that sharing the values of human rights and peace among future generations is a collective responsibility of society.

Lee vowed to establish a foundation for women's human rights and peace, aiming to position Seoul as a global leader in promoting these values.