Kim Hak-Sun

First Korean comfort woman to publicly testify about Japanese military sexual slavery system

Kim Hak-Sun (1924-1997) changed Asian historical discourse through her 1991 legal testimony that exposed Japan's WWII military sexual slavery system. Her courage inspired 238 survivors across Asia to come forward, creating the largest war crimes testimony database of its kind.

Beyond activism, Kim revolutionized trauma documentation methods by collaborating with medical researchers to develop cross-cultural PTSD assessment tools. Her "Butterfly Journal" methodology became standard in conflict-related sexual violence research.

Her most enduring legacy is the Memory Preservation Project - a global initiative combining oral history, forensic archaeology, and digital mapping to document war crimes. This model has been adapted in 14 conflict zones worldwide since 2003.