30th Anniversary of Kim Hak-Soon Halmoni 's Public Testimony
August 13 & 14, 2021
On August 14, 1991, Hak-Soon Kim gave the first public testimony as a survivor of the Japanese military sexual slavery system. In 2012, at the 11th Asian Solidarity Conference for the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan hosted and organized by the Korean Council, August 14 was declared as the International “Comfort Women” Day.
In South Korea, beginning in 2018, August 14 is observed as the National Memorial Day.
This year marks the 30th Anniversary of Kim Hak-Soon Halmoni 's public testimony. The Education for Social Justice Foundation is hosting and organizing two events commemorating the 30th anniversary of Kim Hak-Soon halmoni’s public testimony: an online forum on August 13, Herstory and Legacy of Kim Hak-Soon Halmoni, and a communal art project on August 14, My Message to Kim Hak-Soon* Halmoni.**
In South Korea, beginning in 2018, August 14 is observed as the National Memorial Day.
This year marks the 30th Anniversary of Kim Hak-Soon Halmoni 's public testimony. The Education for Social Justice Foundation is hosting and organizing two events commemorating the 30th anniversary of Kim Hak-Soon halmoni’s public testimony: an online forum on August 13, Herstory and Legacy of Kim Hak-Soon Halmoni, and a communal art project on August 14, My Message to Kim Hak-Soon* Halmoni.**
*In Korean, the last name comes before the first name.
**Halmoni means ‘grandma’ in Korean. Activists began calling the Korean victims and survivors of Japan’s WWII military sexual slavery system “grandmothers” rather than referring to them euphemistically as “comfort women.” The girls and young women who were once Japanese military sex slaves had grown old by the time they broke their silence.
**Halmoni means ‘grandma’ in Korean. Activists began calling the Korean victims and survivors of Japan’s WWII military sexual slavery system “grandmothers” rather than referring to them euphemistically as “comfort women.” The girls and young women who were once Japanese military sex slaves had grown old by the time they broke their silence.