Students to hold concert for ex-comfort women

University students will hold a concert in front of Seoul City Hall on Friday in support of Korean women who were coerced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during World War II.

A handful of members of a student volunteer club came up with the idea for such an event, and started to recruit concert planners in May. They posted recruitment posters around universities and gathered participants through word of mouth using social networking services.

Currently, some 300 students of 30 universities in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province are acting as concert planners or supporters.

To draw attention to Japan’s distortion of history regarding the military sex slaves it euphemistically named “comfort women,” some students played music on the streets, held photo exhibitions, performed flash mobs and gathered signatures in Seoul for the past two months. They also raised funds for the concert.

Organizers said it was the first time that hundreds of Korean students joined forces for an event on comfort women issues.

The event will feature a performance of taekkyeon, a traditional Korean martial art, by Yong In University students, a chorus by 100 supporters, a play by Dankook University students, and performances by indie bands.

Tickets are 10,000 won for adults and 5,000 won for students. Proceeds will be donated to a fund for former comfort women. For reservation, visit www.yes24.com.

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)