People call on Japan to apologize to victims of wartime sexual slavery at the 1,400th Wednesday rally near the Japanese Embassy in downtown Seoul. They also chanted slogans criticizing Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for his economic attack on South Korea. Similar rallies took place in 13 cities here and 21 cities in nine other countries, including Japan and the United States, for the 74th Liberation Day on Thursday, which celebrates Korea's independence from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
Nearly 20,000 people participated in the 1,400th rally in Seoul. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
The weekly rally has continued since Jan. 8, 1992, seeking Japan's apology to former "comfort women." Yonhap |
Busan citizens stage another Wednesday rally near the statue symbolizing "comfort women" in Dong-gu, Busan. Yonhap |
A woman places a chrysanthemum on the statue symbolizing "comfort women" in Gwangju, Wednesday. Yonhap |
Lee Yong-soo, a victim of Japan's wartime sexual slavery, pats the statue symbolizing "comfort women" at Sungnam City Hall, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Including Lee, only 20 victims are alive. Their average age is 91. Yonhap |
A symposium about the Wednesday rally in Tokyo. Campaigner Yang Jing-ja presents information on "comfort women" and the weekly rally. Yonhap |