Over 100 South Korean Women Sue US Military Over State-Sanctioned Sex Abuse

More than 100 South Korean women who were forced into sex work for U.S. soldiers stationed in South Korea from the 1950s to the 1980s have filed a landmark lawsuit accusing the U.S. military of systemic abuse and complicity in the state-sanctioned prostitution system. The women, often trafficked as minors and subjected to brutal treatment including forced STD testing and physical abuse, are seeking a formal apology and financial compensation of 10 million won ($7,200) each. This lawsuit follows a 2022 South Korean Supreme Court ruling that held the South Korean government responsible for illegally establishing and managing brothels to support the U.S. military presence, ordering compensation to victims. Activists and plaintiffs accuse the U.S. military of ignoring the exploitation and violating the victims' rights, with the military allegedly allowing comfort women on bases and near training grounds. The case highlights the long-overlooked plight of these women compared to the more widely recognized victims of Japanese military sexual slavery during World War II. The plaintiffs aim to hold both the South Korean government and the U.S. military jointly liable for their decades-long abuses and to bring justice and recognition to the victims' suffering.