Watchdog agency urges right of anti-comfort woman groups to rally

The decadeslong weekly demonstrations demanding that Japan apologize for its wartime sexual enslavement of Korean women could now lose their regular spot in front of the Japanese Embassy, as the state-run human rights watchdog on Monday reversed its previous stance, which had effectively reserved the spot for the protesters.

The regular Wednesday rallies in honor of the victims -- known by the Japanese euphemism "comfort women" -- have been held since 1992 in front of the Embassy of Japan in Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul. But far-right groups denying that the Japanese military engaged in sexual slavery during World War II have requested permission to hold opposing rallies at the same spot every week since February 2023.

Seoul Jongno Police Station, concerned about potential clashes between the rival groups, interfered by dividing the spot and having the anti-comfort women rallies be held apart from the Wednesday demonstration.

In a recent ruling, however, the National Human Rights Commission urged police not to interfere with the assembly for any reason, stressing that priority should be given to those who first apply to hold a demonstration at a specific location. It accused the Jongno police of infringing upon the freedom of assembly.

The NHRC in 2022 had recommended that the Jongno Police Station actively protect the participants of the Wednesday Demonstrations, while recommending that the opposing demonstrators pick a different time and place for their assembly.

This was before the NHRC chief position was filled by Ahn Chang-ho, a conservative figure who during last year's parliamentary hearing refused to answer a question on what the commission's stance should be on the comfort women issue.