[International Statement] Memory Must Resonate — Stop the Globalizatio…
페이지 정보
작성자 한일갈등타파연대 작성일 25-04-26 12:49본문
[International Statement] Memory Must Resonate — Stop the Globalization of Anti-Japanese Monuments
- In connection with the Japanese Military Sexual Slavery photo exhibition at the Nazi Museum in Germany
Today’s international order is rapidly becoming multipolar, and countries are pursuing their national interests through pragmatic diplomacy. In this evolving landscape, memory is no longer a mere recollection of the past, but a tool for reshaping politics and diplomacy.
We are deeply concerned that the domestic and international proliferation of monuments related to “comfort women” and forced laborers, as well as the accompanying political rhetoric and actions, are undermining the ethics of memory and turning into diplomatic coercion against the international community.
Memory must resonate—it must not be forced. Through this declaration, we aim to halt the politicization of historical memory and the globalization of anti-Japanese sentiment, and to propose a new horizon of diplomacy and peace.
1. The Politicization of Monuments: A Visual Empire of Anti-Japan Sentiment
Originally introduced as symbols of women’s rights and war victims’ remembrance, the “comfort women” statues and forced labor monuments have now been weaponized by certain political forces in South Korea as tools for inciting anti-Japanese sentiment and political agitation.
The so-called “100-year war” against Japan has severely damaged the democratic foundation of bipartisan politics and led to an excess and sanctification of historical legislation. These monuments, exported abroad by a coalition of civic groups and political actors, are now distorting the global image of South Korean diplomacy.
The installation processes of these monuments often involve illegal placements, disregard for public review procedures, and ignoring the opposition of local residents—severely undermining both public interest and legality.
2. Weaponizing Memory in Diplomacy: Cases from Germany and Italy
The 2025 “Comfort Women Photo Exhibition” held at the Nazi Documentation Center in Cologne, Germany, was less an act of solidarity than a calculated political maneuver aimed at isolating Japan. Germany and Italy, as former Axis powers of World War II, are nations that have earnestly upheld the ethics of historical memory.
Installing comfort women statues or holding photo exhibitions targeting Japan in such countries implies a veiled diplomatic threat: “If you refuse, you’ll be treated as a war-crime nation.” This is a moral attack on the post-war shared memory community and an abuse of collective guilt.
Following a statement by Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner that “one-sided expressions must not be allowed,” the comfort woman statue in Mitte district is now set to be removed. Similarly, the mayor of Stintino, Italy, announced plans to revise the monument’s plaque to reflect the perspectives of both Korea and Japan. These responses are commendable examples of wisdom in preventing a memory dispute from escalating into a diplomatic one.
3. The Politics Hidden Behind the Banner of Women’s Rights
The comfort women issue can no longer be considered a purely women’s rights matter. Yoon Mee-hyang, former head of the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance, was sentenced to 18 months in prison (suspended for 3 years) for embezzling donations intended for victims. Ahn Shin-kwon, the former head of the Sharing House facility, is in prison after being sentenced to two years in prison on charges of defrauding him, including subsidies related to the "Japanese Military Sexual Slavery" facility.
These acts of corruption represent a typical case of totalitarian business: monopolizing the memory of victims, enforcing a singular historical narrative, and branding dissenters as defenders of perpetrators.
Women’s rights must never be a political shield for any organization. True human rights must be reexamined in the public square, beyond ideologies and partisanship.
4. Our Resolution
We firmly believe that history must not be used as diplomatic leverage, and memory must freely resonate within harmony. The politicization of memory, the sanctification of monuments, and the instrumentalization of victims can no longer be tolerated.
We demand the following:
· The Korean government and local municipalities must stop the indiscriminate spread of anti-Japanese monuments.
· The international community must liberate the comfort women discourse from political monopolization and restore it as a rational and just public forum.
· Civil societies in Germany, Italy, and around the world must no longer be swayed by moral offensives and diplomatic blackmail disguised as “solidarity of memory.”
The world has entered an era of pragmatic realism.
How much longer will South Korea remain trapped in a visual empire of anti-Japanese sentiment?
A new horizon for diplomacy and peace must begin with the removal of anti-Japanese monuments.
April 26, 2025
Korea-Japan Conflict Resolution Solidarity
댓글목록
등록된 댓글이 없습니다.
