Gumja Hwang, a former comfort woman-a sex slave forced into prostitution by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II-passed away at the age of 90.
Gumja Hwang was conscripted into one of Japan’s military brothels after she (then 13 years old) was taken away by a Japanese police officer on the street. As a result, of the total 234 registered Korean victims of Japan’s wartime sex slavery, the number of living Korean ex-comfort women fell to 55. Gumja Hwang was well known for her charitable activities; she donated of ₩100 million (which she earned from the sale of waste paper she collected on the streets) to a scholarship fund and her dying wish was to donate her entire fortune to charity. Hwa-jin Yoon, an economist and poet, here debuts a requiem he has written in honor of the late Gumja Hwang.
"Requiem"
Lost garden of her native land
will be her life-time misfortune
that she did not know.
The worst scandal of this century
that she had burned out by her body and soul.
Unmindful and harsh surroundings inflicted
your life all over until last minute,
We all could not send you off without falling tears.
The whole civilized World knows their barbarism,
fleshly soldiers from the Island country amused
Human dignity buried by shameless crimes.
by claimed that it was settled by the money
provided by the Government,
that is still notrepenting the shameful act
that God could not forgive,
Fair settlement shall be made by heavenly rule.
Our Angel Catalina
you will be embraced this time
God warm grace
Along the way you are leaving
We will decorate you with budding flowers
that you never had as you grew up.
You could not bring any flowers
because you save even one penny for
the poor
that comforted you.
We all brought millions of white roses.
Where you are heading,
there will be no repression and no spoilage
If you hear Geomungo tune
that will be the song for our aspiration
for peace and hope in our country, Korea.
Then you will blossom as a white lilly
forget all the sorrowful stories you had endured
that is your new life in eternal peace.
