14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military "Comfort Women"
💨Storming Peace: Where Our Winds of Hope Meet💨
August 14, 2026 marks the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military Comfort Women”. In 1991, Kim Hak-Soon became living proof by standing in front of perpetrators who denied their crimes, claiming there was no evidence.Her voice awakened countless victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery across the Asia-Pacific and reverberated throughout the world, connecting into a powerful chain of solidarity and hope for change. To commemorate Kim Hak-Soon’s first public testimony, the 11th Asian Solidarity Conference in 2012 designated 14 August as the International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women.” It is to honor the strength and courage of the victim-survivors, who not only fought for an official apology and legal reparations from the Japanese government but also laid the foundation for international human rights norms on sexual violence in conflict.
This year, in commemoration of the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women”, the Korean Council is organising a series of events under the theme “Storming Peace: Where Our Winds of Hope Meet”. We honour and remember the courage of the Japanese military sexual slavery victim-survivors. As their steadfast hopes meet our powerful voices, we come together to reaffirm our commitment to building a more peaceful world.
▶ Full Concept
14 August 2026 marks the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women”. In 1991, Kim Hak-soon broke decades of silence by becoming living evidence before perpetrators who denied their crimes, claiming that no evidence existed. Her courageous testimony awakened countless survivors of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue across the Asia-Pacific region and resonated throughout the world, inspiring a global movement of solidarity for truth, justice, and change. In 2012, the 11th Asian Solidarity Conference designated 14 August as the International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women” in honor of Kim Hak-soon’s first public testimony. The day commemorates the courage and determination of the survivors, whose lifelong struggle for an official apology and legal reparations from the Japanese government also contributed to the development of international human rights norms on conflict-related sexual violence.
Today, brutal violence continues to engulf our world. Armed forces invade sovereign nations, and innocent civilians are subjected to genocide. These atrocities cannot be regarded as someone else's concern simply because they are taking place beyond our borders. Imperialism and war can once again threaten our own lives at any time. Just as the Imperial Japanese military waged war, colonised Korea, killed countless people, and subjected women and girls to military sexual slavery, people around the world continue to suffer the same forms of violence and victimization.
Hatred continues to haunt our societies as well. Survivors of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue, LGBTQ+ people, persons with disabilities, women, and many other marginalized communities continue to be exposed to discrimination and violence. In Korea, far-right historical denialists have relentlessly defamed and humiliated survivors of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. In February 2026, the Act on the Protection, Support, and Commemoration of Victims of the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” was amended, making it possible to hold accountable those who deny history and insult the survivors. Yet this is not the end. Although these groups no longer disrupt the Wednesday Demonstration, they continue their attempts to intimidate survivors through legal proceedings and other means. Nor are they the only actors responsible for organized historical distortion and secondary victimization. Across countries, across streets, universities, and online spaces, coordinated efforts to distort history and inflict further harm on survivors continue.
However, we will not be defeated. We will not grow weary. We will stand against violence, war, and hatred. Inspired by the survivors of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue, who devoted their lives to speaking the truth, we will continue to strengthen our solidarity so that the world we live in may become one free from war, violence, and hatred. Once again, we honor and remember the courage of the survivors, and together we reaffirm our commitment to building the peaceful world they longed for, a hope that has become our own.
What kinds of events are planned for
the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women?”
1. Wednesday Demonstration for the 13th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women”
On Wednesday, 12th August, 2026, in commemoration of the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women”, we will hold a Wednesday Demonstration to join voices with citizens around the world in calling for a just resolution to the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. We remember the victim-survivors who became a beacon of hope by courageously testified the truth about the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. Together, let us build a powerful wave of solidarity and take another step toward a more just and peaceful tomorrow. We warmly invite your interest and participation.
See Details
2. The Butterfly Festival
On Friday, 14 August 2026, we will hold the Butterfly Cultural Festival in commemoration of the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women” at Pyeonghwa-ro in front of the former Japanese Embassy in Seoul, at the Statue of Peace, which has finally returned to our side after the removal of the barricades.
The festival will feature a variety of performances, including music, dance, videos, and artistic performances, expressing our shared aspiration to build a peaceful world, a dream long cherished by the survivors and one that we now carry forward together.
We warmly invite you to join us at the <Storming Peace: Where Our Winds of Hope Meet> Butterfly Festival, where the survivors’ steadfast hope meets our collective determination to create a powerful wave of solidarity for peace.
See Details
14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military "Comfort Women"
💨Storming Peace: Where Our Winds of Hope Meet💨
August 14, 2026 marks the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military Comfort Women”. In 1991, Kim Hak-Soon became living proof by standing in front of perpetrators who denied their crimes, claiming there was no evidence.Her voice awakened countless victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery across the Asia-Pacific and reverberated throughout the world, connecting into a powerful chain of solidarity and hope for change. To commemorate Kim Hak-Soon’s first public testimony, the 11th Asian Solidarity Conference in 2012 designated 14 August as the International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women.” It is to honor the strength and courage of the victim-survivors, who not only fought for an official apology and legal reparations from the Japanese government but also laid the foundation for international human rights norms on sexual violence in conflict.
This year, in commemoration of the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women”, the Korean Council is organising a series of events under the theme “Storming Peace: Where Our Winds of Hope Meet”. We honour and remember the courage of the Japanese military sexual slavery victim-survivors. As their steadfast hopes meet our powerful voices, we come together to reaffirm our commitment to building a more peaceful world.
▶ Full Concept
14 August 2026 marks the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women”. In 1991, Kim Hak-soon broke decades of silence by becoming living evidence before perpetrators who denied their crimes, claiming that no evidence existed. Her courageous testimony awakened countless survivors of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue across the Asia-Pacific region and resonated throughout the world, inspiring a global movement of solidarity for truth, justice, and change. In 2012, the 11th Asian Solidarity Conference designated 14 August as the International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women” in honor of Kim Hak-soon’s first public testimony. The day commemorates the courage and determination of the survivors, whose lifelong struggle for an official apology and legal reparations from the Japanese government also contributed to the development of international human rights norms on conflict-related sexual violence.
Today, brutal violence continues to engulf our world. Armed forces invade sovereign nations, and innocent civilians are subjected to genocide. These atrocities cannot be regarded as someone else's concern simply because they are taking place beyond our borders. Imperialism and war can once again threaten our own lives at any time. Just as the Imperial Japanese military waged war, colonised Korea, killed countless people, and subjected women and girls to military sexual slavery, people around the world continue to suffer the same forms of violence and victimization.
Hatred continues to haunt our societies as well. Survivors of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue, LGBTQ+ people, persons with disabilities, women, and many other marginalized communities continue to be exposed to discrimination and violence. In Korea, far-right historical denialists have relentlessly defamed and humiliated survivors of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. In February 2026, the Act on the Protection, Support, and Commemoration of Victims of the Japanese Military “Comfort Women” was amended, making it possible to hold accountable those who deny history and insult the survivors. Yet this is not the end. Although these groups no longer disrupt the Wednesday Demonstration, they continue their attempts to intimidate survivors through legal proceedings and other means. Nor are they the only actors responsible for organized historical distortion and secondary victimization. Across countries, across streets, universities, and online spaces, coordinated efforts to distort history and inflict further harm on survivors continue.
However, we will not be defeated. We will not grow weary. We will stand against violence, war, and hatred. Inspired by the survivors of the Japanese military sexual slavery issue, who devoted their lives to speaking the truth, we will continue to strengthen our solidarity so that the world we live in may become one free from war, violence, and hatred. Once again, we honor and remember the courage of the survivors, and together we reaffirm our commitment to building the peaceful world they longed for, a hope that has become our own.
What kinds of events are planned for
the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women?”
1. Wednesday Demonstration for the 13th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women”
On Wednesday, 12th August, 2026, in commemoration of the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women”, we will hold a Wednesday Demonstration to join voices with citizens around the world in calling for a just resolution to the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. We remember the victim-survivors who became a beacon of hope by courageously testified the truth about the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. Together, let us build a powerful wave of solidarity and take another step toward a more just and peaceful tomorrow. We warmly invite your interest and participation.
See Details
2. The Butterfly Festival
On Friday, 14 August 2026, we will hold the Butterfly Cultural Festival in commemoration of the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military “Comfort Women” at Pyeonghwa-ro in front of the former Japanese Embassy in Seoul, at the Statue of Peace, which has finally returned to our side after the removal of the barricades.
The festival will feature a variety of performances, including music, dance, videos, and artistic performances, expressing our shared aspiration to build a peaceful world, a dream long cherished by the survivors and one that we now carry forward together.
We warmly invite you to join us at the <Storming Peace: Where Our Winds of Hope Meet> Butterfly Festival, where the survivors’ steadfast hope meets our collective determination to create a powerful wave of solidarity for peace.
See Details