by KARIN CHAN
editor@charactermedia.com
Two South Korean pals are cycling across America to raise awareness for the Korean “comfort women” who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II.
Baek Deokyeol, 22, and Sim Yong-seok, 22, kicked off their 3,300-mile journey to New York on June 20 in Los Angeles. The two hope that their cycling adventure will encourage the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration to act on the three A’s represented in the Triple A Project: admit, apologize, and accompany.
This means that the Japanese government must admit to the fact that Korean women were forced to work in Japanese military brothels, apologize to the many women affected by this wartime atrocity and accompany them—that is, to be in solidarity with the surviving women who want their voices to be heard, according to the Columbia Missourian.
Baek met Sim while serving in the South Korean army, and the two bonded over their common interest in Japan-South Korea relations. Born and raised in Incheon, Sim first became interested in the comfort women issue after watching the 2011 animated film Herstory, which follows the story of Jeon Seo-wun, a woman who was forced to work at a Japanese military brothel in Indonesia at the age of 15. For Seoul-native Baek, he felt compelled to raise awareness for the issue after meeting a Korean comfort woman in person.
See Also: Seoul to Financially Support ‘Herstory’ Sequel
The two cyclists’ personal goal intersects with the goals of U.S. lawmakers and activists who criticized Abe last April for not offering a clear apology in his address to Congress for the wartime sexual enslavement of Korean and other Asian women.
In a March interview with the Washington Post, Abe briefly acknowledged the plight of comfort women, claiming they were “victimized by human trafficking.” However, critics accused Abe of failing to acknowledge the Japanese army’s role in the recruitment of comfort women and the management of military brothels. As the average age of Korean comfort women reaches 90, activists stress that Japan and Korea must soon reach an agreement on compensation for the survivors, according to the Japan Times.
Biking in sweltering summer heat, Baek suffered from dehydration during the ride from Los Angeles to Las Vegas on highway Interstate 40, which is surrounded by an expanse of the unforgiving Mojave Desert. Cars headed for Sin City brushed past Baek and Sim’s handlebars at high speeds. The two cyclists experienced as much as seven flat tires in one day. The setbacks on their quest quickly reminded Baek and Sim that they need rest during stops and continued support for their Triple A Project, which they provide updates on their Facebook page and Naver blog.
“Sim Yonseok suffered from road rash when he fell downhill while biking about 20 miles per hour, and he also suffered from a burn when boiling water spilled on his leg as we were preparing for dinner. Our plans were affected by his injuries,” Moon Sooyeun, a translator for Baek and Sim, told KoreAm.
Despite the setbacks and injuries, the duo received love and support from friendly Korean and American strangers at every stop. Baek and Sim said the kindness they received from the community was enough motivation to keep cycling.
“Many were worried about our journey, but they were also proud of us. Some of our friends and family slowly showed interest and movements in the [comfort women] issue as they watched our journey,” said Baek and Sim through their translator. “[The response] was quite positive in the U.S. as well. Many were interested in our journey from L.A. to New York. As they learned the reason for our journey, they listened and shared with others about our project. They cheered us on and told us they would not forget.”
After making stops in Chicago and Washington, D.C., Baek and Sim will be heading to New York, their final destination, on their planned Sept. 8 date.
“We hope to spread the words of the victims as we accompany them. We try to learn more about the issue and although our movement may not be big, we are slowly walking toward a possible solution,” the duo said. “We wish that more people would know about the issue and let their voices be heard little by little. We believe that those voices will make big changes in near future.”
To follow Baek and Sim’s trek across America, visit the Triple A Project Facebook page.
See Also
Former ‘Comfort Women’ Journalist Vows to Take Stand
Korean College Students to Cycle Across North America Over 90-Day Period
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All photos courtesy of the Triple A Project
