hankyoreh

The late Kim Bok-dong (center

“I still remember when she said she was sorry to see Koreans living in Japan still struggling with discrimination.”

Ko Chang-woo, principal of Johoku Korean Elementary School, a Chosen Gakko in Osaka, Japan, made this comment when recalling a visit to his school by Kim Bok-dong, a former comfort woman turned peace activist who passed away on Jan. 28. Kim had always taken a keen interest in the plight of Korean schools in Japan, known as Chosen Gakko, donating 50 million won (US$45,023) in 2014 to help the Chosen Gakko, which resulted in the scholarship foundation Kim Bok-dong’s Hope. When the school was heavily damaged during Typhoon Jebi last September, Kim donated a further 10 million won (US$9,001) for repairs and even made a direct visit to the school with Gil Won-ok, friend and fellow comfort woman survivor.

“Even back then, Kim was struggling physically and I was worried that she wouldn’t be able to make it up to the auditorium on the second floor [of the school], but she walked up the stairs herself,” Ko stated in a telephone call with the Hankyoreh on Jan. 30. “There was still a hole in the second floor roof from the typhoon when she visited, and she inspected the damage with her own eyes.”

Kim spoke to 60 kindergartners and elementary school students at the school for about 10 minutes, telling them to “Study hard, and stand firm in life.”

Ko went on to say “Kim said she was sad to see that the pain of colonialism still lived on in Japan in a different form.” Getting young children to sit still for 10 minutes is no easy task, but Ko said that the children conducted themselves in a dignified manner that day. “It seems that they were able to communicate through their hearts rather than through words,” he added.

Johoku Korean Elementary School was unable to use three classrooms because of damage from the typhoon, but all facilities have now been fully repaired thanks to the money donated by Kim. A photo of Kim’s visit is now on display for visitors in the staff room. A month after the visit, Ko wrote a letter to Kim. “As you said, I will do my best to teach the children to study hard and stand firm in life,” he wrote. “I will also stay strong and seek to grow alongside the precious children of Johoku so that I can instill in them a strong will and fighting spirit.” Upon hearing that Kim’s condition had worsened, Ko also wrote another letter at the end of last year in which he said, “Medicine has come a long way, so try and hold out a little longer.”

That same month, the school also sent Kim some letters that students had written by hand. “Kim Bok-dong has had one of the toughest lives of anyone, but she is also the strongest person I have ever met,” Ko said. “I tell myself that I must never forget her strength and unwavering spirit.” Even while battling cancer in November last year, Kim donated an additional 30 million won (US$26,996) to the Korean school.

By Cho Ki-weon, Tokyo correspondent

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