Education for Social Justice Foundation
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​OUR FIRST ADVOCACY

Chiba Korean Elementary and Middle School and 
​45th Student Art Exhibition, 2016

​The idea for our foundation began when three social justice advocates (now ESJF’s co-founders) sought to teach history often relegated to the sidelines. But injustices aren’t kept to the past. We learned about two courageous Korean high school students living in Japan who created art in opposition to the flawed 2015 “comfort women” agreement between South Korea and Japan. These student artists were selected to have their work featured in the annual art exhibition organized by Chiba Korean Elementary and Middle School in 2016, only to have their city’s mayor slash funding to the school in retaliation. ​Inspired by their courage and in response to discrimination against Chiba Korean Elementary and Middle School, the newly-formed ESJF decided to support this school as our first advocacy work. In the summer of  2017, ESJF succeeded in raising funds and sent them to the school. 
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Title: The Force to Conceal the Truth and the Strength to Fight Against It <은폐하는 세력과 이에 대항하는 힘> Artist: Ae-Hyang Kang (강애향, 12th grade) Award: Gold 2016
Artist note: Numerous women and girls who wanted to survive had their rights forcefully taken. Presently, the living witnesses of history are dying, afflicted by the force of those who try to cover up the truth. Survivors, whose time ended when their youth was trampled, are leaving us one by one.
살아남기 위해서 수많은 여성들이 삶의 도리를 빼앗겼다. 두 번 다시 있을 수 없다고 투쟁하는 역사의 증언자들이 사실을 은폐하자고 하는 세력들에 못이겨 생애를 그치는 오늘의 현황. 청춘 시절이 짓밟힌  체 시간의 흐름을 못 느낀 여성들이 해결을 못 보고 한 사람 또 한 사람 떠난다. 
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Title: What Requires Reparations <배상해야 하는 것>
Artist: Yon-Su Jo (조연수, 11th grade)
Award: Gold
​2016
Artist note: Women under twenty years of age were taken by imperialistic colonialists as military sex slaves. They became the subject of sexual violence and were treated like toys. Their dignity as Koreans and as women was trampled. They are lonely victims whose voices don’t carry much weight, even seventy years after the war has ended.

On December 28, 2015, without consulting the survivors, the Japanese government gave one billion yen to the Republic of Korea under the condition that Korea remove the Peace Girl statue installed in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul. The deal made by the two countries was supposedly “final and irreversible,” indicating the Japanese colonial crimes committed toward Korea could no longer be discussed.

This decision made me burst with fury. We should never forget the problems associated with Japanese military sexual slavery and should squarely face the fact that Korea was subjected to a slavery system by the Japanese imperialists. The Japanese government must apologize officially and make legal reparations to these survivors. We are responsible for creating and maintaining the society where the dignity of every single person is respected. 

​당시 스무살 안되는 소녀들이 식민지주의자들에 의해 종군”위안부”로 연행되었다. 소녀들은 성폭행을 당했고 군인들의 놀이감이 되고 말았다. 조선사람의 존엄, 여성으로서의 존엄도 짓밟혔다. 그들 중에는 전후 70년이 지난 오늘  아무에게도 말 못하고 고독하게 살아온 피해자들도 있다.

2015년 12월 28일 종군”위안부”피해자들을 상징하는 소녀상을 철거하는 조건하에 보상금 10억엔을 일본정부가 지불한다는 결정을 당사자들의 의사없이 양국의 정부들이 합의하였다. 그 내용은 “최종적이며 불가역적” 해결을 보았다는 것이였으며, 식민지 시기의 일본군의 전쟁범죄를 더 이상 물을 수 없게 만들었다.

내 속에서 이 결정에 대한 분노가 터졌다. 우리는 종군”위안부”문제를 언제나 잊으면 안되며 식민지주의자에 의해 노예화가 집행되었다는 것을 직시해야한다. 종군”위안부”피해자에 대한 법적 효력이 있는 사죄와 배상을 해야 하며 모든 사람들의 존엄이 존중되는 사회를 꾸려나가는 책임을 오늘을 사는 우리가 다 해야한다. 
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  • Home
    • About Us >
      • Social Justice Education
      • Advocacy
    • Blog
    • Interviews and articles
  • Educator Resources
    • Sexual and Gender-based Violence >
      • Japanese military sexual slavery system
      • Sexual and medical violence against Black Americans
      • Conflict-related SGBV TODAY
    • History of and Issues Surrounding Asian Diaspora in the United States >
      • SF Bay Area Resources
      • Beyond SF Bay Area
    • grassroots resistance and collective activism
    • Medical Atrocities and Use of Banned Weapons
  • ESJF Publications
    • "Comfort Women" History and Issues
  • ESJF Study Tours & More
    • INTERNATIONAL
    • LOCAL
  • Get Involved