'Comfort Women' Memorial Unveiling Press Conference In San Francisco

A press conference for the unveiling of a memorial for the 'Comfort Women' was held in San Francisco on September 22, 2017 at St. Mary's Square. The memorial was built to remember the over 200,000 mostly girls and young women in Asia who were captured and used as sexual slaves by the Japanese Imperial government during the Second World War. These included women from Korea, China, Philippines, Vietnam and other women from around the world who were in Asia under Japanese military occupation.

Yong-soo Lee, 89 known as Grandma Lee from Korea was one of the comfort women activists and attended the unveiling. She said that “This is an issue for everyone. This is about a sincere apology from the government of Japan.” She also announced that there will be additional memorials all around the world including in Tokyo. She had previously come to San Francisco two years ago and testified at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for the resolution by the city to support the installation of the memorial. She was also attacked by the Japanese consulate officials and “denialists” who said that these women had not been kidnapped and coerced by the Japanese Imperial Army.

The unveiling event was attended by over 500 people from many different communities in San Francisco in support of the memorial. This was also is the first major city in the United States to install such a memorial and the organizing committee said more were being planned.

The Japanese Abe government has opposed these memorials and opponents of the memorial sent over 1,000 emails to Carmel artist Steven Whyte whose design was chosen for the memorial demanding that he not do the sculptures. The government of Japan has also spent over $60 million dollars in an international campaign organizing to stop any memorial installations around the world.

The Comfort Women For Justice Coalition (CWJC) initiated the plan and built support for it in San Francisco among many community groups and individuals and over $700,000 was raised from supporters of the project. This was also the first collaboration effort of Korean, Chinese and the Philippine community in the bay area on this issue. The committee also announced that there will be an ongoing education program in San Francisco and Calfornia schools and colleges so young people can learn about this history.

For more media:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0oE2VPs8mc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIIfZCedXcA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFqHPawMibs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7YGt02BG8s

http://hoodline.com/2017/09/protestors-expected-for-friday-unveiling-of-comfort-women-statue

https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/09/22/us/ap-us-comfort-women-statue.html?mcubz=0

For more information:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/RememberComfortWomen/

Production of Labor Video Project

http://www.laborvideo.org