Gil Won-ok, a significant figure in advocating for the recognition of 'comfort women' who suffered during World War II, passed away at the age of 96. Her activism and testimony drew attention to the plight of nearly 200,000 women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army. Despite a 2015 agreement between Japan and South Korea, many survivors, including Gil, felt that Japan had not taken adequate responsibility. Her death leaves only seven known survivors, underscoring the urgent need for continued dialogue and acknowledgment of this historical injustice.
We were born human but haven't been able to live like humans. I will keep on talking until the day I die.
The collective memory of the 'comfort women' stayed mostly buried until the early 1990s, when the first survivors came forward.
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