London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Berlin lets Korean ‘comfort women’ statue remain for now, amid Japan anger

Berlin lets Korean ‘comfort women’ statue remain for now, amid Japan anger

The Mitte district in the German capital said it hopes to explore a plan for Japan and South Korea to reach a compromise on the display.


A statue commemorating “comfort women”, a euphemism given by Japan to the women and girls enslaved for sex by the Japanese army during World War II, is displayed at a residential area in central Berlin on Friday.

Reversing an earlier order to remove a statue symbolising Korean women in Japanese wartime military brothels, authorities in central Berlin said on Tuesday they will allow the installation to remain for the time being.

The Mitte district in the German capital said it hopes to explore a plan for Japan and South Korea to reach a compromise on the display. The installation of “comfort women” statues outside South Korea, in addition to those placed near Japanese diplomatic facilities in Seoul and Busan, has been a source of tension between the two Asian countries.

On Thursday, the Mitte district announced it had rescinded approval for the statue erected last month and called for its removal by Wednesday, amid objections from Tokyo.

Following the decision, a pro-South Korean civic group in Berlin lodged a protest with local authorities and filed a petition with a Berlin court to suspend the district order.

Berlin orders removal of 'comfort women' statue


In South Korea, a group of 113 politicians including lawmakers submitted a letter to the German Embassy in Seoul on Tuesday, expressing regret and concern over the district’s move last week.

A group of about 200 people including Koreans also gathered in front of the statue in the Mitte district and voiced opposition to its removal.

In revoking its approval for the display, the district had argued that the statue was related to a conflict between two states, with district head Stephan von Dassel saying that such an installation in Germany was not appropriate.

Issues stemming from Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean peninsula, including reparations for wartime labour, have hampered the building of friendly ties between the two Asian neighbours.Japan maintains that the two countries already settled wartime issues when they sealed a bilateral agreement in 1965, while many in South Korea believe that Tokyo has not repented enough for its militarist past, including the comfort women issue.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×