More than 100 elderly South Korean women have taken on the U.S. military in court, demanding justice for what they say was decades of forced prostitution that Washington turned a blind eye to.
According to Linda Ikeji Blog, the 117 women filed their lawsuit Tuesday, seeking an official apology and $7,200 each in damages.
Their stories stretch back to the 1950s through the 1980s, when thousands of women worked in government-run brothels serving American troops stationed in South Korea.
This isn’t some hidden chapter of history. Researchers say the sex trade around U.S. military bases was so massive it made up nearly a quarter of South Korea’s entire economy in the 1960s and 70s.
Yet unlike the “comfort women” forced into prostitution by Japanese forces during World War II, these victims have largely been ignored.
The silence likely stems from politics. With Washington and Seoul maintaining their crucial military alliance against North Korea, uncomfortable truths about the past have been swept aside.
One woman, now in her 60s, shared her story of being just 17 when recruiters promised her a bartending job.
Instead, she found herself trapped in a nightmare – beaten, forced to have sex with American soldiers, and subjected to humiliating weekly medical exams.
Women who tested positive for diseases faced excruciating penicillin shots that left them unable to walk.
The South Korean Supreme Court already acknowledged the government’s role in 2022, ordering compensation for about 120 victims after ruling that officials had illegally run these facilities.
But the women want the Americans held accountable too.
“This case seeks to hold both the South Korean authorities and the U.S. military jointly responsible,” said lawyer Ha Ju-hee, who’s representing the women.
The lawsuit comes at a delicate time. The U.S. still keeps 28,500 troops in South Korea as a shield against North Korean aggression.
A military spokesperson said they were “aware of the reports” but couldn’t comment on ongoing legal action, adding that the military doesn’t condone behavior that breaks South Korean law.
Under current agreements, Seoul is supposed to compensate victims of crimes by U.S. troops, though they can try to get the money back from Washington later.
For these women, many now in their final years, it’s about more than money. They want recognition of what happened to them and assurance that the powerful alliance between their countries won’t continue to bury their pain.
