In brief
Gil Won-ok, a leading figure in the fight for justice for comfort women, particularly those from Korea, has passed away at 96. Her unwavering quest for acknowledgment and reparations from Japan highlights the ongoing struggle for historical justice.
Gil Won-ok, a Korean survivor of wartime sexual slavery, passed away at the age of 96 in her home in Incheon, South Korea. Her death, confirmed by the South Korean government, marks the loss of a dedicated advocate who tirelessly championed the rights of women subjected to sexual exploitation during World War II. Although the cause of death was not disclosed, Ms. Gil had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related health issues in her final years.Even in her later years, Ms. Gil remained vocal in her criticism of the Japanese government, which she accused of failing to take legal responsibility and provide reparations to the survivors of what are known as “comfort women.” In her final years, she insisted that the fight for justice would endure beyond her lifetime, emphasizing that the issue would not conclude with the passing of the last surviving victims. "They are wrong if they think it will be over when the last of us die," Ms. Gil asserted, determined that future generations would carry on the quest for the apology and acknowledgement they rightly deserve.Since the early 1990s, approximately 240 South Korean women have come forward to recount their painful experiences as comfort women, but today only seven remain, all of whom are in their mid-90s. In South Korea, these women symbolize the collective trauma suffered under Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945, symbolizing a broader demand for historical justice.In honor of Ms. Gil’s legacy, numerous politicians and government officials attended her funeral service, paying homage to her unyielding fight for recognition and redress. Her passing serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice that still echoes in the hearts of many survivors and their families.
