The material rhetoric of memorials:

Chloe investigates how and why we empathize with and form solidarity with the Statue of Peace as “Her,” not only through scholarly analysis but also through personal interactions and lived experiences with “Her.”

Korean American activists hold regular meetings to discuss the comfort women issue. They held a talk on October 23, 2024, on the “2015 Comfort Women Agreement,” organized by the civic group “Hambi” (함께 맞는 비) based in Texas. Yoon Meehyang, a prominent comfort women activist, discussed the implications of the agreement involving Korea, Japan, and the United States.

In the news article above, Chloe shared her thoughts on the talk: “It was an informative and engaging talk that delved into the international political backdrop of the 2015 Comfort Women Agreement and the role the United States played in its formulation. The agreement, which is merely a political compromise, has already been declared null and void, meaning it carries no binding authority. Moreover, the content and process of the agreement excluded the victims, making it incompatible with recent international legal perspectives that prioritize human rights. This talk was a valuable opportunity to reaffirm these points.”

미국 코네티컷 곽민경 씨는 “2015 위안부 합의의 국제정치적 배경과 합의가 도출되기까지의 미국의 역할에 대해 자세히 알게 되어 유익하고 흥미로운 강연이었다. 2015 위안부 합의가 정치적 타협일뿐, 이미 한국 국내정치적으로 그 합의는 무효로 선언되었고, 그 내용과 과정이 피해자를 제외하는 방식으로서 인권을 최우선시하는 최근 국제법적 관점으로도 유효하지 않음이 사실이란 점을 다시 한번 확인하는 소중한 시간이었다”고 소감을 전했다. (in original)

9th Anniversary Memorial Gathering for the Sewol Ferry Disaster in Connecticut, November 2023