hankyoreh

June 24. (by Shin So-young

During a trip to South Korea, Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, met former comfort women, or sex slaves, for the Japanese imperial army on June 24 and promised to support efforts to address their problem.

On Wednesday, Zeid visited the War and Women’s Human Rights Museum in the Mapo District of Seoul, which is operated by the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, and met three former comfort women - Kim Bok-dong, Gil Won-ok, and Lee Yong-soo.

“The UN will work to resolve this issue, bearing your wishes in mind,” Zeid was quoted as telling the women in the closed-door meeting. “In the Congo, there are many female victims of sexual violence, but sadly they don’t even realize that they are victims. You need to keep talking about this.”

When Kim Bok-dong said that it was more important for people like Zeid to speak out on the issue than herself, Zeid reportedly said, “The voices of survivors like yourself are more important, and they are very strong. You are my advisors.”

“Of all the people I will meet in Seoul, I don’t think that anyone will be more important than these three women,” Zeid told reporters after the meeting, referring to the comfort women. “I was deeply moved and inspired. I will stay in touch with these women and meet them as often as I can.”

Zeid’s meeting with the three women is likely to draw more attention to the issue of the comfort women from the perspective of women’s rights in wartime.

“My predecessor Navi Pillay raised her voice about their continuing pain, and I have the same perspective as her. I will continue to work on their behalf,” he said.

By Kim Oi-hyun, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]