May 29 marked the first hearing in the lawsuit for damages filed by the survivors of military camp towns (so-called "U.S. military comfort women") against the United States Forces Korea (USFK). To mark this first hearing, the Joint Committee for Clarifying the Truth of Sexual Exploitation by USFK and Restoring the Honor of Survivors (Joint Committee) held a press conference in front of the court, demanding that the USFK acknowledge its responsibility for the victimization of these women and issue an official apology.
This trial holds immense social and historical significance, as it is the first formal courtroom battle to argue that the structure of state violence and sexual exploitation against camp town women was not solely an issue of the South Korean government. Rather, it was formed and maintained through the active acquiescence, management, and joint accountability of the USFK. This first hearing serves as the starting point for historical justice to finally end the ongoing structure of bystanderism and silence.
On May 27, we participated in a forum titled held at the National Assembly, organized by the Solidarity for the Amendment of the Criminal Law on Rape. The event drew passionate interest, with approximately 70 participants attending in person and 80 online, demonstrating a strong collective desire for the amendment of the law.
At the forum, we engaged in discussions on the limitations and future directions of the South Korean sexual offense legal system, drawing insights from consent-based laws and relevant precedents in the United States alongside Professor Ramona C. Albin from the U.S. The keynote presentations highlighted how legal and institutional shifts in the U.S. are moving toward assessing sexual violence based on sexual autonomy and the presence of consent, rather than focusing on whether the victim resisted.
National Solidarity also took part as a panelist in this debate. Handling Discussion Topic 4, "Social Transformation Driven by Shifts in the Standard of Consent," we pointed out how the pervasive perception surrounding prostitution—that 'consent is established because money was paid'—reflects an incredibly narrow understanding of consent. We explained that while the sex industry mimics the forms of contracts and transactions to create an illusion that women's sexual autonomy is protected, it actually misinterprets mere compliance under poverty, debt, a gender-segregated labor market, hierarchy, violence, and the pressure of survival as 'free consent.'
Furthermore, we criticized how our society has long divided women into 'those who are eligible to be seen as victims' and 'those who are presumed to have already consented,' a bias clearly reflected in social attitudes toward women in prostitution, women in the pornography industry, and victims of deepfake technology. We noted that the current judicial standard for rape—the "strictest interpretation of violence and intimidation" (Choi-hyeop-ui-seol)—is inherently linked to a structure that interrogates whether a victim acted like a 'proper victim,' rather than focusing on the actual harm endured.
Ultimately, we emphasized that changing the standard of consent goes beyond merely shifting legal benchmarks; it can serve as a catalyst for transforming public perception regarding sexual dynamics, power relations, and social equality.
Amending the criminal law on rape is not just about changing punitive regulations. It is a vital process of securing every individual's right not to be subjected to unwanted sexual acts, and establishing a culture that verifies and respects the consent of others. National Solidarity will continue to expose the discrimination and violence faced by women in prostitution, and stand in solidarity to build a society where genuine sexual autonomy is fully guaranteed.
This trial holds immense social and historical significance, as it is the first formal courtroom battle to argue that the structure of state violence and sexual exploitation against camp town women was not solely an issue of the South Korean government. Rather, it was formed and maintained through the active acquiescence, management, and joint accountability of the USFK. This first hearing serves as the starting point for historical justice to finally end the ongoing structure of bystanderism and silence.
On May 27, we participated in a forum titled held at the National Assembly, organized by the Solidarity for the Amendment of the Criminal Law on Rape. The event drew passionate interest, with approximately 70 participants attending in person and 80 online, demonstrating a strong collective desire for the amendment of the law.
At the forum, we engaged in discussions on the limitations and future directions of the South Korean sexual offense legal system, drawing insights from consent-based laws and relevant precedents in the United States alongside Professor Ramona C. Albin from the U.S. The keynote presentations highlighted how legal and institutional shifts in the U.S. are moving toward assessing sexual violence based on sexual autonomy and the presence of consent, rather than focusing on whether the victim resisted.
National Solidarity also took part as a panelist in this debate. Handling Discussion Topic 4, "Social Transformation Driven by Shifts in the Standard of Consent," we pointed out how the pervasive perception surrounding prostitution—that 'consent is established because money was paid'—reflects an incredibly narrow understanding of consent. We explained that while the sex industry mimics the forms of contracts and transactions to create an illusion that women's sexual autonomy is protected, it actually misinterprets mere compliance under poverty, debt, a gender-segregated labor market, hierarchy, violence, and the pressure of survival as 'free consent.'
Furthermore, we criticized how our society has long divided women into 'those who are eligible to be seen as victims' and 'those who are presumed to have already consented,' a bias clearly reflected in social attitudes toward women in prostitution, women in the pornography industry, and victims of deepfake technology. We noted that the current judicial standard for rape—the "strictest interpretation of violence and intimidation" (Choi-hyeop-ui-seol)—is inherently linked to a structure that interrogates whether a victim acted like a 'proper victim,' rather than focusing on the actual harm endured.
Ultimately, we emphasized that changing the standard of consent goes beyond merely shifting legal benchmarks; it can serve as a catalyst for transforming public perception regarding sexual dynamics, power relations, and social equality.
Amending the criminal law on rape is not just about changing punitive regulations. It is a vital process of securing every individual's right not to be subjected to unwanted sexual acts, and establishing a culture that verifies and respects the consent of others. National Solidarity will continue to expose the discrimination and violence faced by women in prostitution, and stand in solidarity to build a society where genuine sexual autonomy is fully guaranteed.