[News Today] No clear fix for peace statue vandalism

[LEAD]
It's been 14 years since the first 'peace statue' was installed outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.

Now, there are 155 of them across the country, standing as symbols of the suffering endured by victims of wartime sexual slavery.

But those symbols have come under repeated attack, yet, there's still no clear legal protection in place.

[REPORT]
This peace statue dedicated to the victims of Japanese wartime sexual slavery was erected voluntarily by members of the public in Yongsan-gu District of Seoul in 2017.

Last year, an American male stirred major controversy when he kissed the statue in a malicious manner.

In Busan, a man in his 30s was caught for covering a peace statue in a large plastic bag with the word 'demolish' written in red.

On this year's Liberation Day, another peace statue in Ansan, Gyeonggi-do Province was also covered in a plastic bag.

Insults and vandalism targeting peace statues continue, but there are no adequate punishments for the act.

Covering a statue in a plastic bag or spitting on it does not constitute property damage, and the crime of insult only applies when it targets people.

The law on protecting the victims of Japanese wartime sexual slavery contains no clause on defamation or insult.

Because peace statues are classified simply as sculptures, crimes targeting them are regarded as a misdemeanor punished only with fines.

As criticism kept rising over the lack of protection for the peace statues, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family conducted a survey last year and confirmed there are 155 peace statues nationwide.

But no further inspections of damage on the statues were carried out.

A bill on punishment for defamation of peace statues and the victims of wartime sexual slavery is still pending at the National Assembly.

Some are calling on local governments to designate peace statues as public sculptures for better care.

Lee Won-young / Yongsan Citizens Alliance (erected peace statue)
The statues should be taken care of by the central, local governments. Vandalism must be punished by law.

The gender ministry says it plans to check on damage incurred on peace statues on a regular basis in the future.