Bill Proposed to Preserve Enshrinement Facility to Prevent Relocation of Comfort Women Grandmothers' Remains

Jotaeyong Submits Amendment Bill on the Act on the Regulation of Business

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] A bill has been introduced to preserve the enshrinement facility where the remains of Japanese military 'comfort women' victims are interred.

On the 14th, marking the 'Comfort Women Remembrance Day,' Rep. Tae-yong Cho of the People Power Party officially proposed a partial amendment to the 'Act on Funeral Services' the day before.

The main content of the amendment is to exempt cemeteries and enshrinement facilities designated as having historical preservation value from the current restrictions on cemetery installations.

Earlier, in April, Gwangju City in Gyeonggi Province issued an order to relocate the remains of comfort women victims enshrined at the Nanum House Memorial Park by October 1, citing violations of the current Funeral Services Act. The area where Nanum House is located is designated as a waterfront zone, where enshrinement facilities cannot be installed under the current Funeral Services Act.

Rep. Cho stated, "Unlike general graves or cemeteries, the remains of the comfort women grandmothers are enshrined in urns within the enshrinement facility at Nanum House Memorial Park, so there is almost no possibility of water pollution," adding, "I hope the law passes quickly so that the grandmothers' last wish to 'be buried together where we lived' is fulfilled."

Currently, four comfort women victims, with an average age of 96, live together at Nanum House.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.