<W commentary> Former chairman of South Korea's former comfort women support group who revived activities to criticize Japan

Former Korean comfort women support group "Justice Remembrance Solidarity for Solving the Problem of Japanese Military Sexual Slavery" Yoon Mi-hyang, former chairman of the National Assembly, attended the regular "Wednesday rally" held near the Japanese embassy in Seoul on the 8th of this month, seeking a resolution to the comfort women issue. Participated for the first time. The Chosun Ilbo, a South Korean newspaper, said, "Rep. Yoon did not speak out after being indicted on charges such as embezzlement of donations to comfort women victims, but after being partially found guilty in the first trial. I changed my attitude," she said.

In May 2020, former comfort woman Lee Yong-soo pointed out the opacity of the Justice League's accounting. The prosecution has launched an investigation into Mr. Yoon's suspicion of embezzlement of donations. In September of the same year, Yoon was found guilty of indictment without detention for eight crimes, including violation of the subsidy management law, fraud, business embezzlement, and breach of trust.

Yoon completely denied the allegations at the trial. "I think I've lived the last 30 years with no shame as an activist," she said. In January of this year, the prosecution demanded a five-year prison sentence for Mr. Yoon, saying, "It is a serious crime to spend citizens' donations like pocket money." In her closing argument, Yoon explained that she had no intention of pursuing personal gain.

And on the 10th of last month, the judgment hearing was held at the Seoul Western District Court. The district court acknowledged that from 2014 to 2016, Yoon had diverted a total of 17 million won from donations held in personal accounts and accounts under the name of the Korea Association of Korea. Instead, they kept the funds of the Chong Dae Hyup in personal accounts so that public and private expenditures could not be clearly separated." She said that she "betrayed the expectations of the citizens" by misappropriation, and that "considering the meaning and influence that Chong Dae Hyup has in Korean society, and the role and status of the defendant, the responsibility of the crime is not light." However, it is difficult to say that she collected the donations in her personal account for the purpose of personal use. A judgment of 15 million won was handed down. However, she was acquitted of many of the indictments, including fraud charges.

After the ruling, Yoon said, "The prosecution indicted her for embezzlement of more than 100 million won, but the court found her guilty of about 17 million won. Most of the charges were acquitted," she criticized the prosecution's investigation. In addition, she said, "We have repeatedly emphasized that there was no embezzlement for some of the amounts for which the explanation was insufficient," and then decided to appeal.

After the judgment of the first instance, Yoon has stepped up her activities related to historical issues. On the 1st of this month, the anniversary of the Korean independence movement, March 1st, a press conference was held in Tokyo with members of the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan. We asked the Japanese government to withdraw the application for registration of the gold mine on Sado Island.

On the 7th, she appeared on a Korean YTN radio program. She criticized the resolution announced by the South Korean government the day before to resolve the issue of the former forced labor lawsuit, saying, "It's nothing more than a declaration of surrender in which South Korea, the victim, bows its head to Japan, the perpetrator." On the evening of the same day, a lecture titled '30 Years of the Comfort Women Movement, Coming Here' was being held at the Gyeongsangnam-do Branch of the National Democratic Trade Union Confederation in Changwon City, Gyeongsangnam-do, in the southeastern part of the country. She gave a special lecture on the road.

And on the 8th, she participated in Seiseiren's "Wednesday assembly" for the first time in three years. The Wednesday rally began in 1992, when the then-Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa held a demonstration in front of the Japanese embassy. Members gather every Wednesday to protest against the Japanese government over the comfort women issue. Yoon has not attended Wednesday rallies since March 25th, 2020. At the Wednesday rally, which she attended for the first time in three years, Yoon said, "The past three years have been very difficult. I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut in order to protect it."

Some have criticized Yoon, who has been active in activities related to historical issues even while she is on trial. A lawmaker belonging to the ruling party "People's Power" said on SNS, "Rep. Yoon and her asylum seekers should take care of themselves." "It was a shameful crime to commit a crime. If there is one person who should be kept silent about South Korea-Japan relations, it would be Rep. Yoon."