Latest news with #StatueofPeace
Korea Herald
30-06-2025
- General
- Korea Herald
Statue of Peace finds permanent home in Bonn
Despite ongoing diplomatic tension, German museum offers lasting home to statue symbolizing Japanese wartime abuse of women BONN, Germany — On the count of three, 'Frieden' — the German word for 'peace' — echoed through a crowd of 50 people gathered on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Bonn. As the Statue of Peace emerged from beneath a purple veil, paper butterflies fluttered in the sunlight behind the bronze figure, symbolizing remembrance and resistance. The unveiling marked the official installation of a statue commemorating the victims of Japan's wartime military sexual slavery, euphemistically referred to as 'comfort women.' Its journey to a permanent home has been long and fraught, with activists criticizing what they describe as persistent interference by the Japanese government to prevent its erection. After four years of displacement from Dresden to Cologne, the statue has now found a permanent home at the Bonn Women's Museum, the world's first museum dedicated to women's art and history, established in 1981. Marianne Pitzen, founder and director of the museum, offered to host the statue despite ongoing diplomatic tension, saying 'women's honor prevails over Japan's claims that it had not committed such wartime sexual violence.' 'It (placing the statue here) is a sign of solidarity. We have the power to end the wars. It is really important that we fight for freedom and against violence,' Pitzen told The Korea Herald after the ceremony, calling the statue living proof of resistance against war. Named Dongmai, the memorial was first displayed at a museum in Dresden in April 2021, then followed by a brief exhibition in Wolfsburg the next year. For much of the time, however, it remained in storage. In March, it was exhibited for three months in front of the Cologne NS Documentation Center before finally finding a permanent home in Bonn. In Europe, there are currently six Statues of Peace — five in Germany and one in Italy — with Germany becoming a key battleground in the fight to preserve the memory of wartime sexual slavery and seek justice for its victims. 'None of the statues have had it easy due to the Japanese government's continued interference. Statues were erected only to be taken down, put into storage and moved again,' said Yee Kyung-hee, president of the Masan-Changwon-Jinhae Civil Assembly for Japanese Military Sexual Slaves, an advocacy group supporting the victims. She traveled from Korea for the unveiling. 'Beyond Korea-Japan relations, this is an international issue — a matter of whether women's rights are upheld,' she said, pointing to ongoing wars around the world where women continue to fall victim to sexual violence. Indeed, the statue has faced numerous challenges both in Korea and Germany. In Korea, there have been multiple reports of vandalism and incidents where victims were publicly defamed. In Berlin, the statue, installed in 2020, has repeatedly come under threat of removal, amid alleged diplomatic pressure from the Japanese government on the Berlin city government and the district of Mitte. The Berlin statue is the only one installed on public land, with all others standing on private property. Just a day before the unveiling in Bonn, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reportedly expressed 'strong regret' over the statue's permanent placement, stating it would continue demanding 'appropriate responses' from relevant parties. Han Jung-hwa, chair of Korea Verband, a Berlin-based civic group responsible for the statue in Berlin, expressed frustration that the issue continues to be politicized. 'Regardless of political stance, this is a matter of humanity,' Han said. 'We hope that the statue spreads a message of peace.' Following the passing of Lee Ok-sun, aged 97, in May, only six registered survivors remain in South Korea, most in their late 90s and in frail health. Saturday's event also featured performances by a Korean artist collective, The Fifth Voice, invited by the Masan-Changwon-Jinhae citizens' group. Artists Han Dae-soo, Jang Soon-hyang and Bae Dallae each performed solo pieces through ritual, dance and performance art to honor the victims and convey their enduring pain. 'It is very beautiful and moving. What I like most is the caring and soft way of honoring the survivors,' said Julia Sattler, 37, a Bonn resident watching the performances. 'I am happy that the statue has found a home here, a symbol of survivors of violence.' Among the attendees were Koreans living in Germany. Jung Jina, 39, said that the statue's presence in a country that has publicly acknowledged and apologized for its wartime atrocities makes it particularly meaningful. 'As Japan is still trying to block the installation of peace statues across Germany, I hope this statue helps raise awareness among Europeans. That would bring great comfort to the victims,' she said. At the end of the ceremony, participants waved strips of white fabric and danced along a long white cotton banner, which gradually evolved into a traditional Korean circle dance, ganggangsullae, performed in remembrance and honor of the victims. The Fifth Voice began their tour on Friday in Frankfurt, followed by performances in Bonn and Kassel. The tour will conclude with a final performance on Thursday in Berlin in front of the city's own Statue of Peace.
The Star
29-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Nagasaki bomb survivor claws at traces of history
Sobering reminder: Visitors observing the Statue of Peace at the Peace Park in Nagasaki. — AP Decorated with colorful paper cranes and blooming flowers, it doesn't look the scene of a tragedy. On Aug 9, 1945, however, US forces detonated an atomic bomb over Nagasaki. Shiroyama Elementary School was only 500m west of ground zero. It is thought more than 1,400 people died here, including teachers and children. The atomic bombing of Nagasaki, and Hiroshima three days earlier, together killed more than 210,000 people. Japan surrendered on Aug 15, ending World War II and its nearly half-century of aggression across Asia. In Nagasaki, part of the destroyed building known as the Peace Memorial Hall receives around 30,000 visitors each year. The number of those who still remember the attack is dwindling. Fumi Takeshita, 83, was just a child, but can still recall her experience. 'I saw an extremely strong light coming in from the window. It was white, or shall I say yellow? So strong that I couldn't keep my eyes open,' she said. 'There were heaps of bodies, too. Buildings crashed to the ground and there was nothing left, apparently. I heard that from my grandmother. She said, 'Fumi-chan, remember the light you saw the other day? Because of that, there is nothing left in Urakami, and many people died.'' She now collects items related to the bombing, many of which she has dug from the ground with bare hands. Takeshita believes it's important to preserve the physical evidence of the Nagasaki bombing, known as 'Hibaku remains'. Currently, 55 sites have been approved as 'Hibaku remains' – including bridges and trees – in the city's annual list. But officials say they also have to consider the city's needs and strike a balance between preservation and development. 'Nagasaki hardly has any remains left. I have been raising my voice to be heard in order to protect them, but most of them have been taken down,' she said. — AP
Korea Herald
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
‘Johnny Somali' trial raises the question: How should Korea handle 'nuisance influencers'?
Calls grow for stern response to foreign creators who come to mock and harass As he arrived for his second trial hearing at the Seoul Western District Court on May 16, American YouTuber 'Johnny Somali' briefly turned to reporters, smiling and sticking out his tongue. The 24-year-old streamer, whose real name is Ramsey Khalid Ismael, has been barred from leaving South Korea and is being tried on three charges, including obstruction of business and violations of minor public order laws. Ismael represents a new kind of content creator — one that South Korea is confronting for the first time as the country increasingly attracts YouTube-driven tourism and attention-seeking influencers. Nuisance influencers, as CNN called them, deliberately stir up trouble in public to generate views and online visibility. Trouble for clicks Ismael arrived in South Korea around October last year. His disruptive behavior here, including playing loud music and obscene videos in public and livestreaming himself vandalizing a convenience store, quickly drew attention online. However, the act that sparked the most public outrage occurred on Oct. 9. On that day, he uploaded a video of himself kissing the Statue of Peace in Itaewon, central Seoul, and performing a lewd dance in front of it. The statue commemorates the victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery during World War II — a painful and enduring wound in Korea's collective memory, stemming from the country's colonialization by Japan from 1910 to 1945. He appeared to have discovered one of the most potent triggers of public outrage in South Korea: the nation's historical trauma with Japan. In another video, he held up the 'Rising Sun' flag — a symbol widely associated with Japanese imperialism — and referred to Dokdo, a group of rocky islets in South Korea's easternmost waters that are at the center of a territorial dispute with Japan, calling them 'Takeshima,' the name used by Japan to assert sovereignty over the area. While these incidents brought him nationwide attention, it was his actions at the Lotte World amusement park, a convenience store, and on public transportation — including subways and buses — that led to criminal charges of business obstruction and violations of public order laws. He is also accused of producing and distributing a deepfake video in which the face of a Korean female streamer was digitally manipulated onto footage that appeared to show her kissing him. Just as Ismael's trial began in March, South Korea saw the emergence of another YouTuber with a similar approach. American YouTuber 'Ice Poseidon' came under fire that same month for a livestream in Busan where he and his companions shouted in public, kicked trash and mocked Korean food, saying, 'Kimchi is disgusting.' While riding in a taxi, he also spoke Korean in an exaggerated, mocking tone, seemingly to ridicule the elderly driver. How to respond? As public frustration grows over disruptive foreign content creators in South Korea, online users are calling for a boycott of controversial streamers whose offensive behavior appears to be rewarded with attention — and ad revenue. 'Many people keep watching, commenting, and even subscribing while criticizing them. But that attention is exactly what feeds YouTubers like Somali,' one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter). 'People should stop giving them any attention, and immigration authorities should prevent them from entering Korea.' As of May 28, Ice Poseidon, the streamer who sparked outrage in Busan, had 695,000 subscribers on YouTube. Johnny Somali's YouTube channel has been suspended, making it difficult to determine his current following. At the same time, South Koreans are calling for the authorities to respond sternly in Ismael's case to establish a precedent for dealing with similar incidents in the future. While Ismael was eventually prosecuted, though without physical detention, some people say the initial response from South Korean law enforcement was too lenient, allowing him to persist in harassing locals and disturbing public order. 'I hope a fair and firm ruling is delivered in Johnny Somali's case to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future,' said Seo Kyoung-duk, a liberal arts professor at Sungshin Women's University known for his efforts to promote Korean culture abroad. 'A strong punishment should be imposed to set an example,' he wrote on Facebook. In response to an inquiry from The Korea Herald, an official from the Korea Immigration Service reiterated the general principle that, under Article 46 of the Immigration Control Act, a foreign national may be subject to deportation if their actions are deemed harmful to national interests or public safety. 'A comprehensive review of specific facts, including whether any laws were violated, is necessary before making a determination,' the official added. Ismael's third trial hearing is scheduled for Aug. 13. If convicted and sentenced to prison, he would have to serve his term in a local prison. Separately, immigration authorities could review whether to impose a deportation order and a reentry ban, according to legal experts.
Japan Today
26-05-2025
- General
- Japan Today
A survivor of Nagasaki bombing struggles to preserve remains
Visitors observe the Statue of Peace at the Peace Park in Nagasaki on April 25. By EUGENE HOSHIKO and MAYUKO ONO Decorated with colorful paper cranes and blooming flowers, it doesn't look the scene of a tragedy. On Aug 9, 1945, U.S. forces detonated an atomic bomb over Nagasaki. Shiroyama Elementary School was only 500 meters west of ground zero. It is thought more than 1,400 people died here, including teachers and children. The atomic bombing of Nagasaki, and Hiroshima three days earlier, together killed more than 210,000 people. Japan surrendered on Aug 15, ending World War II and its nearly half-century of aggression across Asia. In Nagasaki, part of the destroyed building known as the Peace Memorial Hall receives around 30,000 visitors each year. At the same time, the number of those who still remember the attack is dwindling. Fumi Takeshita, 80, was just a child, but can still recall her experience. 'I saw an extremely strong light coming in from the window. It was white, or shall I say yellow? So strong that I couldn't keep my eyes open,' she said. 'It was the day after the bomb dropped. (My father) walked through the hypocenter, the Urakami area, and heard many people calling for help. There were heaps of bodies, too. Buildings were crashed to the ground and there was nothing left, apparently. I heard that from my grandmother. She said, 'Fumi-chan, remember the light you saw the other day? Because of that there is nothing left in Urakami, and many people died.'' She now collects items related to the bombing, many of which she has dug from the ground with bare hands. Takeshita believes it's important to preserve the physical evidence of the Nagasaki bombing, known as 'Hibaku remains.' 'Nagasaki hardly has any remains left. I have been raising my voice to be heard in order to protect them, but most of them have been taken down," she said. Currently, 55 sites have been approved as 'Hibaku remains,' including bridges and trees, in the city's annual list. But officials say they also have to consider the city's needs and strike a balance between preservation and development. 'I have lung cancer and was told I might not be able to see the cherry blossoms this year," Takeshita said. "But I managed to. Like myself, hibakusha (atomic bombing survivors) do not have much time left. Preserving things has a strong message. Despite all the testimonies, I believe it is more convincing and can convey, for instance, the heat which melted these objects, let alone humans.' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Korea Herald
14-05-2025
- General
- Korea Herald
Remembering Lee Ok-seon, former 'comfort woman' and human rights activist
The funeral altar for Lee Ok-seon, a victim of the Japanese military sexual slavery during the World World II, has been set up in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, following her passing on May 11. She was 97. With her passing, only six registered survivors remain in South Korea out of the 240 officially recorded by the Korean government. Born in Busan, Lee was forcibly taken at the age of 14 to frontline brothels run by the Japanese military, where she was subjected to three years of abuse until the end of the war. She is most known for dedication to raising awareness about the atrocities committed against the so-called "comfort women." She testified at Brown University in the United States in 2002 and traveled extensively to share her story. In 2013, she undertook a tour of 12 cities in the US, Germany and Japan. Even at 90, she traveled to China to provide testimony. Lee was also the real-life model for the "Statue of Peace" located in Gwangju, a symbol commemorating the victims of wartime sexual slavery.
