Busan Officials Allow Return of 'Comfort Women' Memorial After Controversial Removal

Officials in Busan, South Korea, have given the green light for the return of a bronze memorial honoring Korean 'comfort women,' who suffered sexual enslavement by the Japanese military during Japan's colonial period from 1910 until the conclusion of World War II. This statue, showcasing a young woman seated with a bird on her shoulder, is a replica of the Statue of Peace located outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul, crafted by artists Unseong Kim and Seogyeong Kim. Initially placed by activists near the Japanese consulate in Busan on December 28, it was swiftly removed by local authorities. Its reinstatement follows public backlash after Japan's defense minister prayed at the contentious Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates war casualties, including convicted war criminals. The original installation protested a 2015 agreement between South Korea and Japan that involved a Japanese apology and a one-billion yen fund for survivors. Globally, around 30 replicas of the Seoul statue and similar monuments exist, including in Washington, D.C., often situated in areas with large Korean populations. These updates have been reported by Hyperallergic and the New York Times.