Born: 1921 (South Kyongsang Province)
Died: 2004
Biography:
Kim Soon-duk (1921–2004), also known as Kim Tŏk-chin, was a Korean comfort woman who became one of the best-known survivors due to her vivid paintings that depicted life as comfort women. She participated in movements against sex slavery, including the Wednesday Demonstration. She also traveled abroad to attend exhibits that displayed her paintings, participated in international speaking tours, and testified about her experiences.
After the end of Japanese colonization in Korea, which occurred from 1910 to 1945, many of the atrocities and injustices began to surface. Several activist groups gathered evidence and encouraged victims to come forward. Both Korean and Japanese people pressured the Japanese government to acknowledge its crimes. However, in 1991, the Japanese Embassy in Seoul denied the existence of an official, militarized form of sexual slavery. Kim Hak-sun, in response to the Japanese Embassy’s official statement, became the first woman to openly testify about her experience as a comfort woman. She inspired other women, including Kim Soon-duk, to come forward with their stories.
Comfort Women, along with their supporters, continue to fight against sexual violence and confront the Japanese government to acknowledge their crimes and compensate the victims.
Background:
Kim Soon-duk was born in 1921 and grew up in a poor family in South Kyongsang Province. Her father died when she was a child. When she was twelve, she worked as a housemaid to help her mother and her four siblings. In 1937, at the age of 16, Kim Soon-duk met a Korean man who told her she would be sent to Japan to work as a well-paid factory worker. However, this turned out to be a deceptive promise, and instead, the man took her and about thirty other women to a military brothel he ran in Shanghai. Later, they were moved to another comfort station in Nanking.
Although Kim Soon-duk did not have a formal education, she was intelligent. She was also known for her beauty, which led to her being chosen to serve high-ranking officers. She was transported to the army unit by car and developed an intimate relationship with Izumi, a high-ranking Japanese officer in his fifties. She came to rely on him as her father, husband, and family. Kim Soon-duk endured the hardships of being a comfort woman for three years, from 1937 to 1940.
In 1940, Kim Soon-duk and four other women from her village were able to return to Korea due to Izumi’s love and concern. Upon their return, they received 100 yen and a white envelope containing official travel permits. These permits allowed them to secure lodging, food, and transportation by train, truck, and boat. Kim Soon-duk maintained communication with Izumi through letters and sent care packages to him, further illustrating the complex nature of her relationship with him.
Kim Soon-duk’s experiences as a comfort woman had a profound impact on her life. After her return to Korea, she faced societal stigma and struggled to reintegrate into her community. However, she found solace and empowerment in her art. Kim Soon-duk developed a passion for painting and used her artistic talents to depict the harsh realities of the comfort women system. Her paintings provided a visual testimony of the suffering endured by countless women during that dark period of history.
In her later years, Kim Soon-duk became a prominent figure in the movement for the acknowledgment of comfort women’s experiences. She participated in protests and demonstrations, including the Wednesday Demonstration, demanding justice for the survivors and advocating for their rights. Her powerful paintings served as a tool for raising awareness and generating empathy among the public and international community.
Kim Soon-duk’s contributions in preserving the memory of comfort women and shedding light on their plight were indispensable. Through her exhibitions, international speaking tours, and testimonies, she played a crucial role in amplifying the voices of survivors and inspiring a global movement against sexual violence.
Kim Soon-duk passed away in 2004, but her legacy lives on. Her paintings continue to be exhibited and serve as a poignant reminder of the strength and resilience of comfort women. Her dedication to seeking justice and advocating for the rights of survivors remains an inspiration to all who strive for gender equality and human rights.
Awards:
– Recipient of the Courageous Woman Award (1993)
– Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Seoul National University (1997)
– Order of Civil Merit, Moran Medal (2001)