Gov't has no clue how many 'comfort women' statues there are abroad

The Korean government has seemingly failed to track the overseas number of statues symbolizing sexual slavery during the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial rule over Korea.

Members from women's organizations picket in front of the Statue of Peace in Berlin, Germany in August. [YONHAP]

The Korean government seemingly failed to keep track of the overseas number of bronze statues of a girl symbolizing sexual slavery during the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial rule over Korea, according to the office of Democratic Party Rep. Baek Seung-ah on Wednesday.

In Korea, the statues were erected at 154 spots based on data provided to the lawmaker from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. However, the data reportedly did not specify the number of statues in foreign countries.

The ministry has been working on collecting data on the statues honoring "comfort women" — a euphemism wartime sexual slavery victims — after a bill was submitted on punishment for acts of vandalism, which are typically erected by private organizations.

When asked about records or resources on foreign-based statues, the ministry responded that it "does not have records yet."

In a parliamentary audit session on Wednesday, Vice Gender Minister Shin Young-sook said “an official investigation is needed to precisely comprehend the number of overseas statues, although the ministry has gathered the information informally.”

A total of 106 or 68.8 percent of the statues in Korea did not have governing rules — which are usually prepared and enforced by local districts. Some six statues had no managing entities as their founding organizations have disbanded.

Regarding a recent notice of an order from a central Berlin borough in Germany to relocate the statue to privately owned land, the vice minister said it “will follow an instruction given by Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs” during the audit.

Rep. Baek said, “It is assumed that 31 statues have been installed overseas, such as in the United States, Germany, Italy and other countries.” The lawmaker called on the ministry to take “proactive measures so that foreign-based statues could be managed and preserved systematically.”

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]