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The 1,500th Wednesday demonstration to protest Japan's sexual enslavement during the colonial occupation takes place in front of the former Japanese Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday. (Lee Jeong-a/The Hankyoreh)

The 1,500th Wednesday demonstration for the "comfort women" victims took place on Wednesday in front of the former Japanese Embassy in Seoul. The weekly demonstrations have been held for decades at noon on Wednesdays to demand a resolution to the military sexual slavery issue.

Lee Yong-soo, a 93-year-old survivor of sexual slavery by the Japanese military, shared a video message at the demonstration.

"Japan continues to do nothing but lie and say outrageous things. I don't know how long we're going to have to wait [for an apology], but I plan to keep it up until then," she said in the video.

Because of Level 4 social distancing measures applied in the greater Seoul area, this week's event took the form of one-person demonstrations and live YouTube broadcasts.

The first Wednesday demonstration was held on Jan. 8, 1992, to coincide with a South Korean visit by then-Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. Since then, it has become the world's longest-running single-issue demonstration, as well as a symbolic event for victims of military sexual slavery around the world.

This week's 1,500th Wednesday demonstration was co-organized by the group Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, together with 1,565 citizens from 14 countries. It includes statements delivered by attendees and the screening of a video sharing messages of solidarity and support from around the world and greetings from the "comfort women" survivors themselves.

While the supporters had to share their messages of encouragement from different places, they were unanimous in their calls for the Japanese government to formally apologize and assume its full legal responsibility toward victims of wartime sexual slavery.

This week's Wednesday demonstration was an occasion for reflecting on the historical significance of the past 1,500 demonstrations while pledging to achieve future goals.

The 1,500th Wednesday demonstration takes place as a one-person protest due to Level 4 social distancing measures applied throughout Seoul. (photo pool)

One of those attending the demonstration on the ground was Catholic nun Moon Choon-ha.

"Fifteen hundred times over 30 years, the Wednesday demonstrations have been a setting for remembering historical truth, hoping for a new future, and letting justice and peace stir," she said in a statement of solidarity.

"We intend to keep working together here until [the Japanese government] accepts the victims' demands for an acknowledgment of its war crimes, a genuine apology, and legal compensation, and the dignity of the victims has been fully restored," she said.

Kim Young-hwan, director of external cooperation for the Center for Historical Truth and Justice, said, "At the 1,000th Wednesday demonstration, the statue of peace [showing a girl representing comfort women victims] was erected and this place became the 'Peace Road.'"

The Wednesday demonstrations have "now become a place where history, human rights, peace, and justice are realized," he added.

Kim Ji-won, a high school student in Gyeonggi Province, said, "I want to express my thanks to the [survivors] for not giving up, for hanging in there and fighting."

"I want to be a source of strength to the women, and I think we are stronger when we unite," she added.

"I hope that detailed accounts [of the Japanese military's sexual slavery system] appear in textbooks so that students can take more of an interest," she also said.

On YouTube, messages of encouragement were shared in real-time by internet users who could not be at the demonstration themselves.

"We can't be there with you, but you have our support," Korea Women's Associations United wrote.

"I want to thank you for putting this together even under these difficult circumstances," wrote a user under the name Byung Hee Lee.

"The power of solidarity is as strong as a rock!" wrote a user with the ID "jiyun jun," while another identified as "Genie Mooni" wrote, "I want to thank the organizers for putting together the 1,500th Wednesday demonstration even in this difficult situation with COVID-19."

Also at the scene were other YouTubers staging one-person demonstrations to deny the military sexual slavery victims' claims of abuse. Some of the demonstrators ended up scuffling with police checking up on the scene.

For the 1,500th demonstration, the Korean Council unveiled a "Wednesday demonstration archive" of records from the event's early days, including never-before-seen demonstration photographs and petitions from 1992.

"The dignity of the victims will only be restored and their human rights guaranteed when the Japanese government acknowledges the sexual slavery system as a major crime against humanity and human rights and fulfills its legal responsibilities," said Lee Na-young, president of the Korean Council.

"Until that day comes, we will stand strong as rocks here with the great power of solidarity, as we have done 1,500 times before," she added.

By Jang Pill-su, staff reporter

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