Comfort Women Policy under Moon Jae-in Administration: A Victim-Centered Postcolonial Feminist Approach in South Korea
Keywords:
Comfort Women, Moon Jae-in, Postcolonail Feminism, Gender Mainstreaming, Human RightsAbstract
The issue of “comfort women” continues to cast a shadow on diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan. These women, coerced into sexual slavery during Japan’s colonial rule, represent a profound case of historical gender-based violence. This study explores the South Korean government’s policy response to the comfort women issue during President Moon Jae-in’s administration (2017-2022), particularly emphasizing justice, recognition, and victim-centered approaches. Utilizing postcolonial feminist theory and the gender mainstreaming framework, this qualitative descriptive-analytical research draws upon secondary data including official documents, civil society reports, and academic studies. The findings highlight Moon’s break from past administrations by dissolving the 2015 Reconciliation and Healing Foundation, institutionalizing memorialization, and integrating survivor narratives into national consciousness. However, the administration also faced diplomatic tension with Japan and internal challenges in reconciling human rights advocacy with foreign policy constraints. This article provides insights into the role of feminist-driven foreign policy in addressing historical injustices within postcolonial and diplomatic contexts.
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