The Korea Verband is an open, politically independent and German-speaking information and cooperation platform for all who are interested in the history and culture of Korea as well as the latest developments on the Korean Peninsula and would like to get involved in this area. With roots in the democratization movement among South Korean immigrants to Germany and their links to churches and academics, it is working across genders and age groups. It is a traditionally critical watchdog focused on developments on the Korean peninsula within its East Asian context from the time of the Japanese occupation until today, through a postcolonial lens. Being steeped in Korean migrant history in Germany, it also communicates transnational insights on topics like immigration and identity.
One of the main issues the Korea Verband works on through its Action Group “Comfort Women” (AG “Trostfrauen”) is the question of the so-called comfort women and their fight for recognition of the crimes committed to them to restore their dignity. The Korea Verband runs a museum dedicated to this history and cause, and recently erected a Statue of Peace commemorating the courage of the survivors to speak out. Our work on this issue, however, has always transcended the historical context in East Asia, calling upon the international community to find ways to abolish sexualized violence of any kind and to call into question patriarchal structures and toxic masculinity.
