The Korean community in Australia has mourned the death of the World War II rape survivor, human rights activist and author Jan Ruff-O’Herne AO.
The International Peace Prize winner has died at the age of 96.
A Korean Australian community’s group ‘Friends of Comfort Women in Sydney’ held a memorial service in Strathfield, Sydney known as ‘Little Korea’, to pay tribute to the late Jan Ruff-O’Herne.
SBS Korean audiences have joined the tributes via SNS.
Anna Song has written, “I thank all the friends who have shared her ordeal and remember her.”
Gilbert Park has left a message that “It was unthinkable there was a Japanese military sexual victim even in Australia.
“I am of a view that Japanese Government is an axis of evil as long as they deny their past war crimes.”
Joseph Kim has also expressed his tribute to the deceased, saying “I urge Japanese leaders to make an earnest apology in regards to the wartime sex slavery, then we can go for the friendly, cooperative and amicable future.”
Earlier, South Australian Attorney-General Vickie Chapman expressed her sadness at the death of Jan Ruff-O’Herne.
The Minister said that Mrs Ruff-O’Herne was an inspiration of her generation, bringing to light her extraordinary story of survival in 1992 after seeing Korean War rape victims making appeals for justice on television.
“I have always admired her extraordinary capacity to forgive and her preparedness to break her silence and to tell the world of her suffering in the hope that it will assist future generations,” Ms Chapman said.
Carol Ruff, daughter of the late Ruff-O’Herne, also said to SBS Korean “We are so proud of her. She had an amazing life”
“We hope that people will be continually inspired by her campaign”
For decades afterwards Mrs Ruff-O’Herne kept silent about her ordeal until she was inspired by hearing Korean War rape victims making appeals for justice on television in 1992.
Mrs Ruff-O’Herne travelled to Tokyo to tell her story and spent the following decades travelling the world campaigning against rape in war.
Born in 1923, Mrs Ruff-O’Herne received an Order of Australia in 2002 and a Centenary medal from Prime Minister John Howard in 2004 for contribution made to Australian society.
