In brief
Gil Won-ok, who bravely fought for recognition of the plight of "comfort women" and demanded a formal apology and reparations from Japan, passed away at 96. Her passing marks not just the loss of a survivor but the continuation of a vital movement for historical justice.
Gil Won-ok, a powerful voice in the quest for justice for victims of wartime sexual slavery, passed away this week, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with the painful history of thousands of women forced into servitude during World War II. She was 96 years old at the time of her death, occurring in her home in Incheon, South Korea. The South Korean government confirmed her passing but did not disclose the details of the cause. In her later years, Ms. Gil battled Alzheimer's disease and other age-related ailments.Throughout her life, Ms. Gil was a fierce critic of Japan's government, demanding accountability for its wartime actions and advocating for reparations for the women impacted, known as “comfort women.” Despite her personal suffering, she remained committed to raising awareness about the atrocities experienced by women like her, emphasizing that their stories should not be forgotten. Even in her final years, she asserted that the fight for justice would persist beyond her lifetime.Since the early 1990s, approximately 240 South Korean women have come forward to recount their harrowing experiences, though today only seven survivors remain, averaging 95 years old. Ms. Gil expressed in 2013, “They are wrong if they think it will be over when the last of us die,” committing to the belief that future generations would continue the struggle for justice.Gil Won-ok embodies a poignant symbol for South Korea's historical grievances stemming from Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945. Following her death, numerous political figures and officials attended her funeral to honor her legacy, underscoring the ongoing significance of her activism and the pursuit of historical redress for wartime atrocities.
