Since Kim Hak-sun first publicly testified in 1991 and civic organizations formally launched the initiative in 2012, August 14 has become an important date for the international community to commemorate "comfort women" victims and urge Japan to face history. Based on public reports, this article reviews the origin of this memorial day and its annual international activities.
I. The origin of the memorial day
On August 14, 1991, Kim Hak-sun first publicly testified about the atrocities of the Japanese military "comfort women" system, a landmark event that drew international attention to the issue. Since then, victims and civic groups in various countries have spoken out, pushing society to face the systematic harm inflicted on women during wartime. Kim Hak-sun's courage inspired more survivors to break their silence and directly gave rise to decades of global memory activism.
In 2012, South Korean civic organizations formally launched the initiative to designate August 14 as the World "Comfort Women" Memorial Day. In November 2017, the National Assembly passed an amendment to the Act on Support for Victims of the Japanese Military "Comfort Women," making the date a statutory national memorial day, giving commemorative activities legal and institutional recognition. (Sources: CCTV.com 2017-11-24; People's Daily Japan Channel 2017-11-27)
II. Annual international activities (public reports)
2013-2015: Commemorations centered on South Korea, with rallies and exhibitions in Seoul and elsewhere; the "Wednesday Demonstration" outside the Japanese Embassy continued. Held every Wednesday since January 1992 in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, the demonstration reached its 1,400th rally in January 2019, described by Korean media as "the world's longest peace march." In January 2022, the rally marked its 30th anniversary. (Sources: Yonhap 2019-01; Hankyoreh; KBS World)
2017: The South Korean government held its first national memorial ceremony for "comfort women" victims; on the same day, the documentary "Twenty Two" was released in mainland China, commemorating the victims through film and drawing wide attention. (Sources: Xinhua 2017-08; National Memorial Day Network)