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Kim Hak-Sun (김학순)

  • Writer: chanfebe04
    chanfebe04
  • Jul 9
  • 3 min read

Updated: Jul 14

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Kim Hak-sun was the first Korean “comfort woman” survivor to speak publicly in 1991, shattering decades of enforced silence. Her testimony ignited activism across South Korea and led to international attention on Japan’s wartime sexual slavery system. Her courage turned a hidden atrocity into a human rights movement, pushing for legal recognition, education reform, and reparations.


🕊️ LIFE BEFORE THE WAR

  • Birth & Background: Born in 1924 in Jilin, China, to Korean parents who had fled Japanese colonial rule. Her father, reportedly an independence activist, died when she was three months old. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

  • Kisaeng Training: After her mother remarried, she was sent to a foster family that trained girls as kisaeng—female entertainers skilled in pansori, music, and etiquette. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

  • Graduation & Betrayal: At 17, Kim completed her training but was legally too young to work. Her foster guardian took her and another girl to Beijing under the pretence of finding jobs. [2] [4] [6] [7] [9]

  • Military Enslavement: Upon arrival, Japanese soldiers separated them. Kim was taken to a Japanese-run comfort station and renamed “Aiko.” She was subjected to systemic rape and abuse. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

“So many soldiers rushed in… I wanted to escape, but they dragged me back. It was unbearable.”[10]

🕊️ CONTRIBUTIONS TO WWII RESISTANCE IN ASIA

  • Breaking the Silence: On 14 August 1991, Kim Hak-sun became the first Korean survivor to publicly testify about Japan’s military sexual slavery system, ending decades of silence. [10]

“I was furious beyond words. I called every TV station and told them to come.”[10]

  • Legal Action: In December 1991, she filed a class-action lawsuit in Japan, demanding an apology and compensation. She was the lead plaintiff and the first to use her real name. [3] [4] [5] [6] [9]

  • Global Mobilisation: Her act sparked the Wednesday Demonstrations in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul (still ongoing) and empowered survivors from Korea, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and the Netherlands. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

  • Human Rights Legacy: Kim’s voice became central to international legal discourse. Her testimony informed the 1998 UN report by Gay McDougall, which classified Japan’s comfort system as sexual slavery and a crime against humanity. [1] [3] [4] [5]

  • Cultural Impact: Her story influenced global memorials, survivor-led advocacy, and Japan’s 1993 Kono Statement, which acknowledged state involvement in the coercion of women. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

🕊️ LIFE AFTER THE WAR

  • Escape & Silence: With help from a Korean man (whom she later married), Kim escaped the comfort station. She lived in silence for decades, fearing shame and retribution. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

“I cried where no one could see me. Day and night. I was too ashamed.”[10]

  • Last Testimony: In her final interview (1997), Kim insisted:

“Even if they kill me, I have to speak before I die.”[10]
“Even 100 billion won cannot change what was done. I just want a sincere apology.”[10]

  • Death & Legacy: Kim died from lung disease on 16 December 1997 at age 73, five months after her final interview. Though she never received a direct state apology, her act of resistance became a foundation for survivor justice movements, legal advocacy, and international remembrance. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

References

[1] Gay J. McDougall – Contemporary Forms of Slavery. https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/263224

[2] Soh, C. Sarah – The Comfort Women: Sexual Violence and Postcolonial Memory. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1557466016012833

[3] Kimura, Miyuki – Rethinking Testimony. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392116640475

[4] Chung, Hye-Won – Victimhood and Agency. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12140-016-9260-z

[5] Hwang, Sung-Hee – Memory Activism in East Asia. https://doi.org/10.1080/21565503.2018.1491865

[6] Project Sonyeo – About. https://www.projectsonyeo.com/about

[9] Blog Archive – CorrectAsia: Kim Hak-sun & the Wednesday Demonstrations. https://m.blog.naver.com/correctasia/220129995722

[10] Final Interview – Kim Hak-sun, 1997. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgBj0dEJy50




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