Protect Melbourne's Statue of Peace
The issue
We call on the Korean Society of Victoria (KSV) to withdraw the proposed resolution questioning the continued presence of Melbourne’s Statue of Peace.
Background:
A relatively under-recognised war crime of Imperial Japan during World War II was the systematic human trafficking and sexual slavery perpetrated through the military “comfort station system”. It is estimated that up to 200,000 women, many of them young girls, were taken from across Asia, with the majority coming from Korea and China. Euphemistically labelled “Comfort Women,” these women and girls endured daily sexual violence and abuse under dire and inhumane conditions, resulting in the denial of their most basic human rights and the eventual deaths of many.
Although Japan has been ordered to compensate survivors of its wartime crimes, this has yet to happen. With only five Korean victim-survivors of the "Comfort Women" system remaining, it is crucial to continue highlighting the significance of remembering past historical atrocities and pressuring Japan to provide compensation to the remaining survivors.
What is the Statue of Peace?
In order to honour and remember the victims and the associated historical tragedies, the first Statue of Peace was erected in Seoul, South Korea in 2011. It directly faces the Embassy of Japan, as an expression of determination to seek compensation and a sincere apology from the Japanese government.
Outside Korea, 35 Statues of Peace stand around the world as memorials to the victim-survivors of the “Comfort Women” system. Collectively, they stand as symbols of remembrance of the historical trauma and suffering endured by these women and girls, preserving their stories across borders and generations. Their presence also serves as a lasting symbol of peace and women's rights.
Why Melbourne’s Statue of Peace is under threat
In November 2019, the Friends of “Comfort Women” in Melbourne (FCWM), in partnership with Hwaseong City, Republic of Korea, erected Melbourne’s Statue of Peace with the approval of the Korean Society of Victoria (KSV) to place the statue outside its community centre. Installation of the statue was made possible by donations from citizens and communities across Hwaseong City and the support of Melbourne’s Korean community, making it the world’s 10th Statue of Peace. Melbourne's statue has since embodied values of peace and human rights, while simultaneously providing a space for the Korean community, students, and local residents to learn and share such values.
Despite its significance, the Melbourne Statue of Peace faces an uncertain future. Recent debates within our Korean community have raised the possibility of its removal, threatening its historical significance and undermining the efforts and commitment of Korean diaspora communities to sustain the intergenerational remembrance of this history.
Debates stemmed from questions regarding the statue’s perceived “political symbolism” and whether it may conflict with the political neutrality that KSV desires to maintain, given its location outside their community centre.
Notwithstanding FCWM’s position that KSV lacks the authority to unilaterally determine the future of the Statue of Peace, as ownership is shared between the FCWM and Hwaseong City, KSV abruptly announced an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to be held on October 17, 2026, and included on its agenda a resolution on “Questioning a Continued Presence and the Existence of the Melbourne Statue of Peace and Its Political Neutrality”.
FCWM emphasised that the Statue of Peace does not represent any political party or ideology. Rather, it conveys a universal message that mourns our once-stolen land, remembers the suffering inflicted by Imperial Japan’s colonial rule on our daughters and sisters, and affirms that such tragedies must never be repeated.
However, our concerns and queries were dismissed and the EGM remains scheduled to proceed. It is crucial that KSV withdraw the proposed EGM and recognise that the continued presence of our community-built Statue of Peace is crucial in representing the call for justice and acknowledgement from the Japanese government for their unforgivable gender-based, inhumane war crimes. This demand for historical justice for the victims cannot be a matter of political ideology - it is an objective commitment to truth, remembrance and human rights.
Our call for help
We ask for your support.
Please stand with us in solidarity by signing this petition to urge the KSV to withdraw the proposed resolution. With so few victim-survivors of the “Comfort Women” system remaining, preserving this history is more important than ever, so that victim-survivors can receive compensation from the Japanese government while possible.
Human rights, dignity, and peace transcend borders. We sincerely ask those around the world to sign and share this petition to preserve this memorial and the stories of the past for future generations.
Let us ensure the voices of those silenced in the past continue to be heard today.
57
The issue
We call on the Korean Society of Victoria (KSV) to withdraw the proposed resolution questioning the continued presence of Melbourne’s Statue of Peace.
Background:
A relatively under-recognised war crime of Imperial Japan during World War II was the systematic human trafficking and sexual slavery perpetrated through the military “comfort station system”. It is estimated that up to 200,000 women, many of them young girls, were taken from across Asia, with the majority coming from Korea and China. Euphemistically labelled “Comfort Women,” these women and girls endured daily sexual violence and abuse under dire and inhumane conditions, resulting in the denial of their most basic human rights and the eventual deaths of many.
Although Japan has been ordered to compensate survivors of its wartime crimes, this has yet to happen. With only five Korean victim-survivors of the "Comfort Women" system remaining, it is crucial to continue highlighting the significance of remembering past historical atrocities and pressuring Japan to provide compensation to the remaining survivors.
What is the Statue of Peace?
In order to honour and remember the victims and the associated historical tragedies, the first Statue of Peace was erected in Seoul, South Korea in 2011. It directly faces the Embassy of Japan, as an expression of determination to seek compensation and a sincere apology from the Japanese government.
Outside Korea, 35 Statues of Peace stand around the world as memorials to the victim-survivors of the “Comfort Women” system. Collectively, they stand as symbols of remembrance of the historical trauma and suffering endured by these women and girls, preserving their stories across borders and generations. Their presence also serves as a lasting symbol of peace and women's rights.
Why Melbourne’s Statue of Peace is under threat
In November 2019, the Friends of “Comfort Women” in Melbourne (FCWM), in partnership with Hwaseong City, Republic of Korea, erected Melbourne’s Statue of Peace with the approval of the Korean Society of Victoria (KSV) to place the statue outside its community centre. Installation of the statue was made possible by donations from citizens and communities across Hwaseong City and the support of Melbourne’s Korean community, making it the world’s 10th Statue of Peace. Melbourne's statue has since embodied values of peace and human rights, while simultaneously providing a space for the Korean community, students, and local residents to learn and share such values.
Despite its significance, the Melbourne Statue of Peace faces an uncertain future. Recent debates within our Korean community have raised the possibility of its removal, threatening its historical significance and undermining the efforts and commitment of Korean diaspora communities to sustain the intergenerational remembrance of this history.
Debates stemmed from questions regarding the statue’s perceived “political symbolism” and whether it may conflict with the political neutrality that KSV desires to maintain, given its location outside their community centre.
Notwithstanding FCWM’s position that KSV lacks the authority to unilaterally determine the future of the Statue of Peace, as ownership is shared between the FCWM and Hwaseong City, KSV abruptly announced an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to be held on October 17, 2026, and included on its agenda a resolution on “Questioning a Continued Presence and the Existence of the Melbourne Statue of Peace and Its Political Neutrality”.
FCWM emphasised that the Statue of Peace does not represent any political party or ideology. Rather, it conveys a universal message that mourns our once-stolen land, remembers the suffering inflicted by Imperial Japan’s colonial rule on our daughters and sisters, and affirms that such tragedies must never be repeated.
However, our concerns and queries were dismissed and the EGM remains scheduled to proceed. It is crucial that KSV withdraw the proposed EGM and recognise that the continued presence of our community-built Statue of Peace is crucial in representing the call for justice and acknowledgement from the Japanese government for their unforgivable gender-based, inhumane war crimes. This demand for historical justice for the victims cannot be a matter of political ideology - it is an objective commitment to truth, remembrance and human rights.
Our call for help
We ask for your support.
Please stand with us in solidarity by signing this petition to urge the KSV to withdraw the proposed resolution. With so few victim-survivors of the “Comfort Women” system remaining, preserving this history is more important than ever, so that victim-survivors can receive compensation from the Japanese government while possible.
Human rights, dignity, and peace transcend borders. We sincerely ask those around the world to sign and share this petition to preserve this memorial and the stories of the past for future generations.
Let us ensure the voices of those silenced in the past continue to be heard today.
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Petition created on 25 September 2026