Gil Won-ok, Champion for Comfort Women, Passes Away at 96

Gil Won-ok, a courageous advocate for the "comfort women" from World War II, died at the age of 96. Despite her passing, she emphasized that the fight for justice and acknowledgment of the injustices faced by thousands of women would persist through future generations.

Gil Won-ok, a Korean woman who bravely faced her past as a victim of sexual slavery during World War II, has passed away at the age of 96. Ms. Gil died at her home in Incheon, South Korea, with the exact cause of death undisclosed, although she had been battling Alzheimer’s and age-related health issues in her later years. Throughout her life, Ms. Gil dedicated herself to seeking justice for herself and the many women similarly affected—collectively referred to as “comfort women”—by demanding a formal apology and reparations from the Japanese government, responsible for their suffering during the war.

In her final years, she maintained her strong criticism of Japan for failing to accept legal accountability for the crimes committed against thousands of women, arguing that the fight for recognition and justice must go on. Her death arrives at a time when only seven of the approximately 240 South Korean women who came forward to share their stories in the 1990s remain alive. All are well into their 90s.

Ms. Gil’s legacy lies in her resolute belief that the call for justice will transcend her generation. From her perspective, the cessation of the campaign for acknowledgment would not end with her death; the young and future generations would continue to fight for the remembrance and rights of those who suffered.

In South Korea, these women have come to symbolize the deep emotional scars left by Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945. At her funeral, attended by numerous politicians and government officials who expressed their condolences, Ms. Gil was honored as a beacon of resilience and hope for countless victims. Her commitment to activism stands as a lasting testament to the pursuit of justice, a fight that she hoped would persist long after she was gone.