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Members of Anti-Japan Action take part in the weekly Wednesday Demonstration on Sept. 14, where they denounce the Sept. 11 “ambush” by right-wing groups on the encampment around the Statue of Peace, dedicated to victims of the “comfort women” system of sexual slavery by Japan. (Shin So-young/The Hankyoreh)

Wednesday afternoon marked the 1,561st weekly Wednesday Demonstration at the Statue of Peace in Seoul’s Jongno District to demand an apology from Japan for its acts of wartime sexual slavery.

Standing in front of the statue, members of Anti-Japan Action held a press conference criticizing president Yoon Suk-yeol for his pro-Japan stance, saying he needs to be “cleared out” and also calling for a thorough resolution of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue.

At the same time, conservative groups also held their own rally near the statue, calling for the “eradication of left-wing forces,” reigniting the conflict between the two sides.

On Sunday night, the New Freedom Solidarity was planning on holding a rally near the statue depicting a young victim of the “comfort women” system in front of the former Japanese Embassy in Jongno to, among others, demand the dissolution of the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, but ended up clashing with anti-Japanese activists who were protecting the statue.

Members of Anti-Japan Action take part in the weekly Wednesday Demonstration on Sept. 14, where they denounce the Sept. 11 “ambush” by right-wing groups on the encampment around the Statue of Peace, dedicated to victims of the “comfort women” system of sexual slavery by Japan. (Shin So-young/The Hankyoreh)

One anti-Japanese activist who shoved a police officer ended up being arrested that night on charges of obstruction of justice.

Regarding this incident, the anti-Japanese activists held a press conference on Wednesday, blaming the police for painting the arrested activist as a “rioter” that assaulted a police officer and committed obstruction of justice instead of stopping “the far-right group that perpetrated the [acts of] terror.”

The activists called for Kim Gwang-ho, chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, to be dismissed and said that they would proceed with accusations and charges in the future.

In the early hours of Sept. 12, members of Anti-Japan Action stand around the Statue of Peace in downtown Seoul. (Yonhap)

Meanwhile, civic groups, including the Korean Council, have requested assistance from the police and the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK), arguing that the reason conservative groups are applying for demonstration permits is simply for the purpose of obstructing the demonstrations held by activists from the other side.

In January, the NHRCK recommended to police that they use emergency relief measures to encourage conservative groups to change their meeting place and time in order not to interfere with the Wednesday Demonstrations.

We’ve collected photos from this week’s Wednesday Demonstration.

Members of Anti-Japan Action take part in the weekly Wednesday Demonstration on Sept. 14, where they denounce the Sept. 11 “ambush” by right-wing groups on the encampment around the Statue of Peace, dedicated to victims of the “comfort women” system of sexual slavery by Japan. (Shin So-young/The Hankyoreh)

Participants in the 1,561st Wednesday Demonstration, held on Sept. 14, hold up signs and chant for the issue of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery to be resolved. (Shin So-young/The Hankyoreh)

A participant in the 1,561st Wednesday Demonstration, held on Sept. 14, speaks to others gathered outside the former Japanese Embassy. (Shin So-young/The Hankyoreh)

Participants in the 1,561st Wednesday Demonstration, held on Sept. 14, hold up signs calling for a formal apology from Japan. (Shin So-young/The Hankyoreh)

By Shin So-young, staff reporter

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