(source: Hankyoreh, https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/international/europe/1205234.html#ace04ou)
On June 28, a dedication ceremony was held at the Women’s Museum in Bonn, Germany, for the permanent installation of the Statue of Peace, named "Đồng Mai (Bronze Plum Blossom)."
Founded in 1981, the Bonn Women’s Museum was the first of its kind in the former West German capital. Museum Director Marianne Pitzen remarked, “What matters is taking action,” and emphasized that “violence against women and the women who resist it are central themes of our museum… The statue here is meaningful because it helps raise international awareness of the Japanese military "comfort women" issue.”
The Korean Council expresses our deepest gratitude to the Korea Verband and the Women’s Museum in Bonn, who overcame numerous challenges to make this installation possible.
The statue was originally sent in April 2021 by the Korean Council, which fully supported its production and transportation costs for an exhibition at the Dresden Museum of Ethnology. While initially intended for permanent installation there, the plan was canceled due to pressure from the Japanese government. Since then, the statue has been exhibited at the Empowerment exhibition at the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg (September 10, 2022–January 8, 2023) and at the NS Documentation Center in Cologne (March 8, 2025–June 1, 2025), finally finding a permanent home in Bonn.
There are now five Statues of Peace in Germany. In addition to those in the Nepal-Himalaya-Pavillon Park in Regensburg and at the Korean Church in Frankfurt, the statues in Berlin remain firm. The Berlin statue, despite heavy pressure from the Mitte district government, was protected by a court ruling that stated artistic freedom could not be overridden without concrete harm. It is currently allowed to remain until September 28, 2025. The statue in Kassel, which was forcibly removed in 2023, was relocated to the Neue Brüderkirche. Among the five statues in Germany, the Korean Council has provided full support for four, excluding only the one in Regensburg.
Our sincere thanks go to all citizens in Korea and around the world who have supported and stood with us on this journey.
Despite constant interference from the Japanese government and far-right forces, the Statue of Peace continues to spread across the world. Japanese officials, including the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, have repeatedly pressured local German authorities to remove statues, with embassies directly visiting institutions to demand removals. Japanese right-wing groups have flooded institutions with threatening emails, while Korean far-right activists have even traveled to Germany to protest in person. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also sent a strong statement of “serious concern” regarding the Bonn statue and vowed to continue pressing for “appropriate measures.”
Even so, the Statue of Peace continues to stand tall around the world. A total of 34 statues have been installed in countries including the U.S., Canada, Australia, China, Germany, and Italy—each bearing witness to the gravity of wartime sexual violence and promoting women’s rights and peace.
The Korean Council remains steadfast in its commitment to defending and advancing the universal values of equality, peace, justice, and human rights, in solidarity with international citizens.
On June 28, a dedication ceremony was held at the Women’s Museum in Bonn, Germany, for the permanent installation of the Statue of Peace, named "Đồng Mai (Bronze Plum Blossom)."
Founded in 1981, the Bonn Women’s Museum was the first of its kind in the former West German capital. Museum Director Marianne Pitzen remarked, “What matters is taking action,” and emphasized that “violence against women and the women who resist it are central themes of our museum… The statue here is meaningful because it helps raise international awareness of the Japanese military "comfort women" issue.”
The Korean Council expresses our deepest gratitude to the Korea Verband and the Women’s Museum in Bonn, who overcame numerous challenges to make this installation possible.
The statue was originally sent in April 2021 by the Korean Council, which fully supported its production and transportation costs for an exhibition at the Dresden Museum of Ethnology. While initially intended for permanent installation there, the plan was canceled due to pressure from the Japanese government. Since then, the statue has been exhibited at the Empowerment exhibition at the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg (September 10, 2022–January 8, 2023) and at the NS Documentation Center in Cologne (March 8, 2025–June 1, 2025), finally finding a permanent home in Bonn.
There are now five Statues of Peace in Germany. In addition to those in the Nepal-Himalaya-Pavillon Park in Regensburg and at the Korean Church in Frankfurt, the statues in Berlin remain firm. The Berlin statue, despite heavy pressure from the Mitte district government, was protected by a court ruling that stated artistic freedom could not be overridden without concrete harm. It is currently allowed to remain until September 28, 2025. The statue in Kassel, which was forcibly removed in 2023, was relocated to the Neue Brüderkirche. Among the five statues in Germany, the Korean Council has provided full support for four, excluding only the one in Regensburg.
Our sincere thanks go to all citizens in Korea and around the world who have supported and stood with us on this journey.
Despite constant interference from the Japanese government and far-right forces, the Statue of Peace continues to spread across the world. Japanese officials, including the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, have repeatedly pressured local German authorities to remove statues, with embassies directly visiting institutions to demand removals. Japanese right-wing groups have flooded institutions with threatening emails, while Korean far-right activists have even traveled to Germany to protest in person. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also sent a strong statement of “serious concern” regarding the Bonn statue and vowed to continue pressing for “appropriate measures.”
Even so, the Statue of Peace continues to stand tall around the world. A total of 34 statues have been installed in countries including the U.S., Canada, Australia, China, Germany, and Italy—each bearing witness to the gravity of wartime sexual violence and promoting women’s rights and peace.
The Korean Council remains steadfast in its commitment to defending and advancing the universal values of equality, peace, justice, and human rights, in solidarity with international citizens.