Berlin Court Petitioned to Halt Removal of 'Comfort Women' Statue

The Korea-Verband seeks legal intervention to prevent the dismantling of a statue commemorating wartime sexual slavery victims amid diplomatic tensions.

• The Korea-Verband has filed an urgent application with the Berlin Administrative Court to stop the removal of the 'Ari' statue in Moabit, Berlin.
• The statue, erected in 2020, honors up to 200,000 women enslaved as 'comfort women' by Japanese soldiers during World War II.
• Berlin's Mitte district has ordered the statue's removal by October 31, citing regulations on public art installations not emerging from competitions.
• Japan has pressured for the statue's removal, arguing it presents a biased historical narrative, a stance supported by Berlin's mayor during a recent Japan visit.
• Local support for the statue's retention is strong, with a petition of 3,100 signatures and backing from Berlin's Mitte district assembly.

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