Various issues related to human rights have been addressed frequently in public events as well as social media. Institutes, organizations, broadcasting systems and governments have tried to confront multiple topics regarding the rights of the minority, rights to freedom, and rights to basic needs such as women’s rights, freedom of speech, and right to humanitarian aid. Supporters protest on the streets for recognition and awareness for the community, and the many of these cases bring positive changes to the world.

However, an upsetting conflict sparked in Eastern Asia has spread out to the world, but is struggling to get to its solution after 94 years since its first testimony. Between Japan and the South Korea, the comfort women issue still has not come to an end. Young girls and women were deceived for opportunities in foreign workplaces and were sent to Japanese military camps to forcibly serve for their sexual desires. These forced sex slaves received more than 30 to 40 men every day? being abused, treated as property, and written as ‘war supplies’ in military documents.

The majority of these victims are over 80 years old and are waiting yet demanding for apologies from the Japanese government. Although they have compensated large amounts of money for the losses and sufferings of these victims, they have never confessed the incident as their fault. They still do not have a clear stance on this issue and expect for the world to forget it when every victim passes away. Some reporters say the comfort women statues should be taken down, but other citizens reply that they feel sorry about the incident.

Recently, an another “halmoni”(Korean word for grandma) has passed away at the age of 101. On July 1st, Bok-deuk Kim passed away at 4 a.m., diseased in her hospital bed. She was hospitalized because her health had worsened so much that it was hard to live on her own in her place. born in 1918, was tricked into being hired in a factory, but she was sent to the Philippines as a comfort woman when she was 22 years old. After 7 years, she was able to come back to South Korea and regularly participate in the Wednesday demonstrations in front of the Japanese ambassador building.

More attention is going to these former comfort women day by day. However, just attention will not help them in receiving a proper apology from the Japanese government. We cannot simply be dismissive about this urgent human rights issue as a mild argument while more defenseless victims pass away as time goes by. Everyone can start by promoting awareness to their nearby communities, neighborhoods, and on their social media. We can come to a day when we reduce their burdens and achieve their wishes: a sincere confession and apology for devastating their youthful childhood.

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