Gil Won-ok (Korean: 길원옥, born 1928), also known as Grandma Gil, is an activist and former Korean comfort woman who has dedicated her life to demanding redress and an official apology from Japan for the military sexual violence that affected over 200,000 women during World War II.[1]
Gil Won-ok
Gil (yellow shirt, second from right), protesting in front of the Japanese embassy in August 2011
In 1940, at the age of thirteen, Gil Won-ok boarded a train to a Japanese factory where she was promised work.[1] Instead of being taken to a factory, Gil Won-ok was taken to Harbin, Manchuria, and brought to a comfort station in the winter of 1940 where, from thirteen to eighteen years old, she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Japanese soldiers.[1] During the years Gil Won-ok spent as a victim of military sexual slavery, she contracted syphilis, which formed tumors in her body, leading to four surgeries.[1] Due to complications, doctors gave Gil Won-ok a hysterectomy which left her sterile.[2] After the war, Gil Won-ok tried to go back home to North Korea, but when she got to the border, it was closed. Gil Won-ok to this day still has been unable to return to her home.[1]
In 1998, Gil Won-ok followed the lead of previous comfort women and publicly came out with the sexual violence that was forcefully inflicted upon her for five years of her life.[2] After coming out with the sexual violence that was forced upon her, Gil Won-ok became an activist, advocating for an official apology from Japan for the crimes they committed during World War II. Even though Gil Won-ok was unable to physically have children, she adopted a son after he was left at a gambling house where she worked. He is now a minister.[1] Gil Won-ok currently lives in a home run by The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan called Our Peaceful House, where she resides with other comfort women.[1]
Activist workedit
After Gil Won-ok publicly came out with the violent crimes that were inflicted upon her by the Japanese Imperial Army, she vowed to dedicate the rest of her life to demanding an official apology from Japan, as they have failed to take accountability for the crimes that were committed during World War II. Every Wednesday, Gil Won-ok participates in the Wednesday Demonstrations, which have been going on since January 8, 1992, in front of the Japanese Embassy in Korea as an act of protest.[1] Along with participating in the Wednesday Demonstrations, Gil Won-ok travels the world speaking at various location such as the Japanese Women's University, sharing her story while also advocating for an official apology from Japan.[1] Gil Won-ok also participated in the 100 Million Petition Campaign, where the goal was to gather 100 million signatures demanding redress for comfort women. In 2014, Gil Won-ok traveled to Geneva, Switzerland where she delivered 1.5 million signatures to the office of the high commissioner of human rights at The United Nations.[1]
The Butterfly Fundedit
In 2012, Gil Won-ok and another former comfort woman, Kim Bok-dong, started The Butterfly Fund with the help of The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan as a way to help victims of sexual war crimes around the world.[3] Both women vowed to donate all the funds they have received as compensation for the war crimes that were inflicted on them in order to help women who have been put in similar situations to that of them.[4] Some of the individuals who have been recipients of the fund include victims of the Second Congo War along with rape victims from the Vietnam War whose violence was inflicted on by Koreans.[4]
The 2016 film The Apology, directed by Tiffany Hsiung, follows three former comfort women who bring to light their personal experiences spent as victims of wartime sexual slavery, while also with focusing on the ways in which they are demanding an official apology from Japan. The film focuses on Gil Won-ok's personal experience during her time spent as a comfort woman, while also following her through her various travels as an activist. In the film, Gil Won-ok travels to the Japanese Women's University, China, and lastly Switzerland where she presented the United Nations 1.5 million signatures demanding redress to the 200,000 women who were victims of wartime sexual slavery.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefghijkLee, Anita. (Producer) & Hsiung, T. (Director). (2016). The Apology [Film]. Canada: National Film Board of Canada.
^ abcSon, Elizabeth (2018). Embodied Reckonings. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. doi:10.3998/mpub.8773540. ISBN9780472130733.
^Shim, Young-Hee (September 2017). "Metamorphosis of the Korean 'Comfort Women': How Did Han 恨 Turn into the Cosmopolitan Morality?". Development and Society. 46 (2): 251–278. JSTOR 90013929.
^ ab"In solidarity with wartime rape victims". The Korea Herald. 2014-08-24. Retrieved 2019-06-14.
May 08, 2024
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In this Korean name the family name is Gil Gil Won ok Korean 길원옥 born 1928 also known as Grandma Gil is an activist and former Korean comfort woman who has dedicated her life to demanding redress and an official apology from Japan for the military sexual violence that affected over 200 000 women during World War II 1 Gil Won okGil yellow shirt second from right protesting in front of the Japanese embassy in August 2011Born1928 age 95 96 Known forActivism for comfort womenKorean nameHangul길원옥Hanja吉元玉Revised RomanizationGil Won okMcCune ReischauerKil Wŏn ok Contents 1 Early life 2 Activist work 2 1 The Butterfly Fund 3 The Apology 4 ReferencesEarly life editGil Won ok was born in 1928 in Pyongyang Heian nan dō Korea Empire of Japan 2 In 1940 at the age of thirteen Gil Won ok boarded a train to a Japanese factory where she was promised work 1 Instead of being taken to a factory Gil Won ok was taken to Harbin Manchuria and brought to a comfort station in the winter of 1940 where from thirteen to eighteen years old she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Japanese soldiers 1 During the years Gil Won ok spent as a victim of military sexual slavery she contracted syphilis which formed tumors in her body leading to four surgeries 1 Due to complications doctors gave Gil Won ok a hysterectomy which left her sterile 2 After the war Gil Won ok tried to go back home to North Korea but when she got to the border it was closed Gil Won ok to this day still has been unable to return to her home 1 In 1998 Gil Won ok followed the lead of previous comfort women and publicly came out with the sexual violence that was forcefully inflicted upon her for five years of her life 2 After coming out with the sexual violence that was forced upon her Gil Won ok became an activist advocating for an official apology from Japan for the crimes they committed during World War II Even though Gil Won ok was unable to physically have children she adopted a son after he was left at a gambling house where she worked He is now a minister 1 Gil Won ok currently lives in a home run by The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan called Our Peaceful House where she resides with other comfort women 1 Activist work editAfter Gil Won ok publicly came out with the violent crimes that were inflicted upon her by the Japanese Imperial Army she vowed to dedicate the rest of her life to demanding an official apology from Japan as they have failed to take accountability for the crimes that were committed during World War II Every Wednesday Gil Won ok participates in the Wednesday Demonstrations which have been going on since January 8 1992 in front of the Japanese Embassy in Korea as an act of protest 1 Along with participating in the Wednesday Demonstrations Gil Won ok travels the world speaking at various location such as the Japanese Women s University sharing her story while also advocating for an official apology from Japan 1 Gil Won ok also participated in the 100 Million Petition Campaign where the goal was to gather 100 million signatures demanding redress for comfort women In 2014 Gil Won ok traveled to Geneva Switzerland where she delivered 1 5 million signatures to the office of the high commissioner of human rights at The United Nations 1 The Butterfly Fund edit In 2012 Gil Won ok and another former comfort woman Kim Bok dong started The Butterfly Fund with the help of The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan as a way to help victims of sexual war crimes around the world 3 Both women vowed to donate all the funds they have received as compensation for the war crimes that were inflicted on them in order to help women who have been put in similar situations to that of them 4 Some of the individuals who have been recipients of the fund include victims of the Second Congo War along with rape victims from the Vietnam War whose violence was inflicted on by Koreans 4 The Apology editMain article The Apology film The 2016 film The Apology directed by Tiffany Hsiung follows three former comfort women who bring to light their personal experiences spent as victims of wartime sexual slavery while also with focusing on the ways in which they are demanding an official apology from Japan The film focuses on Gil Won ok s personal experience during her time spent as a comfort woman while also following her through her various travels as an activist In the film Gil Won ok travels to the Japanese Women s University China and lastly Switzerland where she presented the United Nations 1 5 million signatures demanding redress to the 200 000 women who were victims of wartime sexual slavery 1 References edit a b c d e f g h i j k Lee Anita Producer amp Hsiung T Director 2016 The Apology Film Canada National Film Board of Canada a b c Son Elizabeth 2018 Embodied Reckonings Ann Arbor MI University of Michigan Press doi 10 3998 mpub 8773540 ISBN 9780472130733 Shim Young Hee September 2017 Metamorphosis of the Korean Comfort Women How Did Han 恨 Turn into the Cosmopolitan Morality Development and Society 46 2 251 278 JSTOR 90013929 a b In solidarity with wartime rape victims The Korea Herald 2014 08 24 Retrieved 2019 06 14 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gil Won ok amp oldid 1216055485, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
