Lee lambastes far-right group for insulting statues of girl representing victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery

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Published: 06 Jan. 2026, 11:49

President Lee Jae Myung criticizes a far-right activist group for demanding the removal of statues symbolizing victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery in an X post on Jan. 6. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday lambasted a far-right civic group for demanding the removal of statues of a girl representing victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery, calling it an "absurd" case of defamation of the deceased.

Lee made the remarks on X as he posted a news article reporting that police have launched an investigation into the head of the group for allegedly insulting such statues nationwide.

"This is an absurd case of defamation of the deceased," Lee wrote.

According to the news report, the activist group held multiple protest rallies in front of such statues across the nation, calling for their removal and disparaging the victims.

Historians estimate that up to 200,000 women, mostly from Korea, were forced to work in front-line brothels for Japanese soldiers during the war. Korea was a Japanese colony from 1910 to 1945.

Yonhap