○ Held on July 26 at Conrad Manila Hotel at the Philippines; attended by 300 delegates from 11 countries
– Participants agreed that Japanese apologies and reparations are the only solutions conducive to peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region
– Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung: “Gyeonggi Province will provide strong support in this era of peace and prosperity that South Korea, North Korea, and the entire Asia-Pacific
region will open together”
– North Korea’s Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee Vice Chairman Ri Jong-hyuk strongly criticized the Japanese government and the economic restrictions it recently imposed on South Korea
while positively assessing the movement toward peace between South Korea and North Korea
– Japanese delegates including Nashimotonomiya Foundation Chairman Nashimoto Takao offered apologies for Japan’s wartime atrocities
– Meeting held between Chairman Ri, Lee Yong-su and Está Litadi

The 2019 International Convention for Peace and Prosperity in the Asia Pacific was successfully held on July 26 at the Conrad Manila Hotel in the Philippines, with the main ceremony attended by about 300 delegates from 11 countries including representatives of South Korea (Gyeonggi Province), North Korea, the Philippines, Japan, China, Australia, Thailand, France, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Indonesia.

This convention, co-hosted by the Asia-Pacific Exchange Association and Gyeonggi Province, sought to lay out the facts regarding Japan’s forced mobilization of labor and sexual slavery for the Japanese imperial army in the regions that it occupied and to discuss measures to heal the wounds of the victims. The participants agreed that apologies and reparations by Japan are the only solutions conducive to achieving peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and promised that they will undertake shared efforts to realize peace and prosperity together.

In his welcoming address, entitled ” Time to Break the Vicious Circle and Move Toward Peace and Prosperity Together,” which was read by Vice-Governor of Peace Lee Hwa-yeong, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung pledged that “Gyeonggi Province will strongly support an era of peace and prosperity that South Korea, North Korea and the Asia-Pacific region will open together.”

Emphasizing that Asia-Pacific countries are interdependent and share a common destiny, Governor Lee made the following assertion: “The recent and historically unprecedented events that took place on the Korean Peninsula, including the visit by the South Korean and US presidents to the DMZ, the meeting of the leaders of the South Korea, North Korea and the US at Panmunjeom, and the US-North Korea summit at the Inter-Korean House of Freedom in South Korea, have established important milestones in our history, marking the transition from an era of confrontation to that of peace. I hope that this convention will play a stimulating role for the entire Asia-Pacific region in the achievement of peace and co-prosperity.”

North Korea’s Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee Vice Chairman Ri Jong-hyuk strongly criticized the imposition of restrictions by the Abe administration of Japan on exports to South Korea, condemning it as “Japan’s expression of its objection to the Korean Supreme Court’s ruling regarding compensation for forced labor.”

In his presentation session, entitled “Suffering from Forced Labor and Peace,” Vice Chairman Ri made the following point: “Japan’s recently enforced restrictions on exports to South Korea are not simple economic restrictions but instead based on its objection to the Korean Supreme Court’s ruling that Japanese companies have to pay compensation to Korean victims of forced labor under Japanese colonial rule.” He continued: “The restrictions reveal Japan’s attempt to evade responsibility for its wartime atrocities and its desire to become a country that can wage war and expand its military power by arousing nostalgia for the forced occupation of [Korea] by Japan.”

As mentioned by Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung in his welcoming address, Vice Chairman Ri expressed appreciation for the recent changes in the relationship between South Korea and North Korea toward peace and co-prosperity.

Vice Chairman Ri noted: “A new reconciliatory mood has been created on the Korean Peninsula for peace and stabilization of the region and world peace.” He continued: “It was only a few years ago that the threat of war loomed on the peninsula, but in about a year, the Korean Peninsula has embarked on a new path toward reconciliation, peace, and prosperity, making remarkable changes that have surprised the whole world.”

Afterwards, Japanese delegates offered apologies for the atrocities committed by Japan during the war.

Nashimotonomiya Foundation Chairman Nashimoto Takao, who is also a member of the Japanese imperial family, apologized and made an obeisance, saying: “We cannot hide the history. The Japanese government should accept this universal truth and offer sincere apologies to the countries and people victimized by the war that it waged and should act in a responsible manner. I sincerely apologize on behalf of my country for the great suffering that it caused among many people during the Asia-Pacific War.”

Former Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio, who was unable to attend this convention, sent a video message to the event in which he said: “I am very glad that a mood for peace is being formed on the Korean Peninsula, which occupies a geopolitically important position in the Asia-Pacific region. I anticipate that this convention will serve as a breakthrough for progress between the countries.”

This day’s event also featured the meeting of Lee Yong-su from South Korea and Está Litadi from the Philippines, who were victims of wartime sex slavery, and the reading of their letters with highlights from the film “Spirits’ Homecoming” shown in the background, shedding light on this issue.

Lee Yong-su appeared on stage and strongly criticized the Abe administration, which refuses to accept responsibility for Japan’s wartime past, saying: “I hadn’t even heard about the agreement between the two countries on Korean victims of sexual slavery for the Japanese imperial army, which they said was concluded in 2015 during the presidency of Park Geun-hye.”

Before this event, Lee Yong-su had a short meeting with Vice Chairman Ri, during which she said: “I was mobilized as a woman of the Joseon Dynasty, not as a North Korean or South Korean woman.” She also expressed her wish to visit North Korea, saying, “I would like to meet Chairman Kim Jong-eun and hope that North Korea will also make efforts to resolve the issue of sexual slavery.”

Vice Chairman Ri then wished her good health and added, “You are always welcome. Always take care of your health so you can visit North Korea.”

Meanwhile, the South Korean delegation to this event included National Assembly Member Kim Han-jeong, Advisory Office for Planning and Finance Chairman Jeong Dae-un, Advisory Office for Peace and Economy Chairman Jang Hyeon-guk, National Assembly Member Yoo Gwang-hyeok, and National Assembly Member Kim Gang-sik, as well as Liberation Association President Kim Won-ung, former Minister of Unification Lee Jong-seok, former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Jeong Dong-chae, former Minister of Environment Lee Chi-beom, and former Minister of Gender Equality and Family Jeong Hyeon-baek.