Uncomfortable Legacies: Disparity in Taiwanese-South Korean Opinion About Comfort Women

Abstract

Taiwan and South Korea share many similar characteristics: both were under Japanese colonialism, were heavily influenced by Confucian culture, went through rapid economic growth, and transformed into leading democracies of East Asia. This thesis stems from a shared, traumatic experience of both countries- institutionalized sexual slavery for the Japanese imperial army, or the comfort women issue. More specifically, this thesis focuses on factors that could have affected Taiwanese and South Korean interest levels for the comfort women issue. The goal of this thesis is two-folds: first, to show that there is a greater level of interest in South Korea than in Taiwan, and second to explore possible forces that could have influenced interest levels in these two countries. By using both qualitative and quantitative evidence, this study clearly depicts of Taiwan’s apathy and of South Korea’s engagement with the comfort women issue. From further examination, this thesis concludes that Taiwanese indifference toward comfort women stems from its emphasis on KMT wrongdoings and from development of native Taiwanese identity. In the case of South Korea, its high interest for comfort women originates from its nationalist agenda to compete against North Korean identity and from political party motivations. This thesis also observes an alternative explanation that posits a direct correlation between ‘colonial brutality levels’ and ‘contemporary interest levels for the comfort women issue.’ By displaying how contemporary political forces construct recollection of past colonial period, this thesis concludes that such correlation does not exist. These findings are especially important for future bilateral relationships in East Asia to maintain peace and stability in the region.