The “Statue of Peace,” is also known as the “Comfort Woman Statue.” This statue is a powerful symbol of the history and resilience of the Korean people, particularly the women who endured great hardships during a dark period in history.
Historical Background
From 1910 to 1945, Korea was under Japanese colonial rule. During this time, many Korean women, as well as women from other occupied regions, were forcibly taken and subjected to sexual slavery by the Japanese military. These women are known as "comfort women." The "Statue of Peace" was erected to honor their memory and to remind us of their suffering.
How many comfort women were taken by?
The exact number of comfort women taken by the Japanese military during World War II is difficult to determine due to the nature of the records, many of which were not kept or were destroyed. However, historians estimate that the number could range from as many as two hundred thousand to four hundred thousand women. These women were from various countries occupied by Japan during the war, including Korea, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, and others. However, the majority of these women were Korean. This tragic part of history highlights the severe human rights abuses suffered by these women and remains a powerful reminder of the horrors of war.
The Statue of Peace
In 1991, Kim Hak- sun became the first woman to publicly testify about her experiences as a comfort woman. Her courage inspired many other survivors to come forward, which led to increased awareness and demands for justice. This statue stands as a tribute to her bravery and to all the women who have shared their stories.
The first Statue of Peace was installed in Seoul, right in front of the Japanese Embassy, on December 14, 2011. This date marked the 1,000th weekly protest held by the surviving comfort women, demanding recognition and an official apology from the Japanese government.
Several symbolic elements
The statue of a girl sitting on a chair depicts a young girl aged 14 to 16 and there are several symbolic elements we should note:
1. short haircut.
It looks like a simple short haircut. But if you look carefully, you’ll notice that the hair is uneven, like parts of it have been torn out. This detail is very important and meaningful.
In traditional Korean culture, young girls wore their hair long, often braided, with a red ribbon called a "댕기" (daenggi). Hair was considered a precious part of the body, given by one's parents, and it was rarely cut short. Cutting one’s hair was seen as a sign of grief or disgrace.During the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese government imposed a rule called "단발령" (danballyeong), which forced Korean people to cut their hair short. This was an attempt to suppress Korean culture and identity.
The uneven short hair on the statue represents the pain and suffering of these young girls. It symbolizes how they were
torn from their families and their homeland against their will, to live as comfort women for the Japanese military. This wasn’t their choice, and the statue’s hair powerfully expresses this sense of loss and violation.
2. clenched fists
When the artist first created the statue, the girl's hands were calmly placed together, showing suppressed emotions. However, during the creation process, the Japanese government pressured the Korean government not to install the statue. This made the artist angry, so the girl's hands were changed to clenched fists. This shows her strong determination, saying, "Let's see this through to the end."
3. Bird on the Shoulder
Look at the small bird on the statue. Birds are symbols of freedom and peace. The artist said that, in Eastern views, birds can also act as spiritual messengers. This small bird connects the deceased and living grandmothers and all of us. Despite the Japanese government's attempts to stop it, the movement to erect these statues spreads across Korea and the world. This bird carries messages between worlds, helping to spread the spirit of peace. This bird represents peace and the souls of the victims who have passed away.
4. Bare Feet:
Next, notice the statue's bare feet and heels slightly lifted off the ground. During the War, the girls had their shoes taken away to prevent them from escaping. Even after the war ended, they returned to Korea, but those who survived couldn't stand confidently on their home soil. people still looked at them unfairly, believing they had become comfort women voluntarily. This view is still present today. The bare feet of the statue represent their difficult reality. They show how these women struggled to fit into society and lived hard lives because of these distorted views. They symbolize the difficult journey and hardships these women endured.
5. Empty Chair
Look at the empty chair next to the statue. CNN reported that sitting in this empty chair makes people think, "What if this happened to me?" This chair is meant for us to reflect on the feelings of the many young girls who were taken as comfort women. It also symbolizes the empty space left by the grandmothers who passed away without receiving an apology
from the Japanese government.
6. Shadow
Notice the fragmented shadow behind the statue. This shadow is in the shape of an old woman, symbolizing the current
pain of former comfort women. The shadow is dark and made up of mosaic-like pieces, representing the fragmented and painful history.
Inside the shadow's heart, there's a white butterfly. This butterfly symbolizes the hope for reincarnation. The artist hopes
that the deceased grandmothers will be reborn as happy spirits and see a better world. Many grandmothers who waited
for a sincere apology from the Japanese government has passed away. The white butterfly in the shadow's heart is a wish for their peaceful rebirth.
International Presence
Interestingly, this statue has found a place in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Germany. Each location serves as a reminder of the need for justice and the importance of acknowledging these historical
events globally.
Reflection and Significance
This statue is not only a memorial but also a call for ongoing awareness and advocacy for human rights. It reminds us of the importance of remembering history to prevent similar atrocities in the future.
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