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Participants in the 1,550th Wednesday Demonstration calling for the resolution of the issue of wartime sexual slavery by the Japanese military stand in the rain outside the former Japanese Embassy in downtown Seoul on June 29, calling for an apology and compensation from Japan. (Kim Jung-hyo/The Hankyoreh)

On Wednesday, the 1,550th Wednesday Demonstration calling for the resolution of the issue of wartime sexual slavery by the Japanese military took place in front of the former Japanese Embassy in Seoul’s Jongno District despite heavy rainfall.

Although the downpour began before the start of the demonstration, participants wearing raincoats and holding umbrellas stood undeterred, beginning their protest by singing and dancing to the song “Like a Rock” and listening to organizers making statements while holding signs that read, “The South Korea-Japan Comfort Women Agreement Is Invalid.”

Participants in the 1,550th Wednesday Demonstration calling for the resolution of the issue of wartime sexual slavery by the Japanese military sit in the rain outside the former Japanese Embassy in downtown Seoul on June 29, calling for an apology and compensation from Japan. (Kim Jung-hyo/The Hankyoreh)

Stating that they opposed South Korea’s military cooperation with Japan, which has yet to apologize for its war crimes, protestors urged for the cancellation of the South Korea-US-Japan summit scheduled to take place Wednesday night in Madrid, Spain.

At the same time, members of Anti-Japan Action, who have been keeping vigil in front of the Statue of Peace, a memorial to victims of the comfort women system, for 2,374 consecutive days demanding the scrapping of the agreement between South Korea and Japan and Japan’s apology and compensation for its war crimes, held a press conference at their vigil location expressing their opposition to the expansion of NATO and the South Korea-US-Japan summit. Here are some photos from the demonstration.

Participants in the 1,550th Wednesday Demonstration calling for the resolution of the issue of wartime sexual slavery by the Japanese military sit in the rain outside the former Japanese Embassy in downtown Seoul on June 29, calling for an apology and compensation from Japan. (Kim Jung-hyo/The Hankyoreh)

Participants in the 1,550th Wednesday Demonstration calling for the resolution of the issue of wartime sexual slavery by the Japanese military stand outside the former Japanese Embassy in downtown Seoul on June 29, calling for an apology and compensation from Japan. (Kim Jung-hyo/The Hankyoreh)

Members of Anti-Japan Action stand in the rain outside the former Japanese Embassy in downtown Seoul on June 29, chanting their opposition to the expansion of NATO and the trilateral summit of South Korea, the US, and Japan. (Kim Jung-hyo/The Hankyoreh)

Participants in the 1,550th Wednesday Demonstration calling for the resolution of the issue of wartime sexual slavery by the Japanese military sit in the rain outside the former Japanese Embassy in downtown Seoul on June 29, calling for an apology and compensation from Japan. (Kim Jung-hyo/The Hankyoreh)

Participants in the 1,550th Wednesday Demonstration calling for the resolution of the issue of wartime sexual slavery by the Japanese military stand in the rain outside the former Japanese Embassy in downtown Seoul on June 29, denouncing military cooperation with Japan. (Kim Jung-hyo/The Hankyoreh)

A member of Anti-Japan Action stands in the rain outside the former Japanese Embassy in downtown Seoul on June 29, giving a statement on their opposition to the expansion of NATO and the trilateral summit of South Korea, the US, and Japan. (Kim Jung-hyo/The Hankyoreh)

By Kim Jung-hyo, staff reporter

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