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President Moon Jae-in walks with ‘comfort women’ survivors at Cheong Wa Dae in January. (Cheong Wa Dae)

By Park Hye Ri and Sohn JiAe 

The day of Aug. 14 has been officially designated as International Memorial Day for Comfort Women.

The Ministry of Government Legislation announced on May 30 that the designation follows the enactment of a law that protects and supports people forced into sexual slavery during colonial times and World War II, and which also carries out commemorative events, a law that’s scheduled to come into effect in June.

The designation of International Memorial Day for Comfort Women was part of the Moon administration’s 100 national goals. It aims to increase protection and support for the victims and to raise awareness, both at home and abroad, of the “comfort women” issues.

Aug. 14 was the day in 1991 when one of the late victims, Kim Hak-soon, exposed to the world for the first time the long-veiled historic stain of Japanese colonization.

hrhr@korea.kr