South Korean Women Sue US Military Over Forced Prostitution During Cold War

Over 100 South Korean women who were forced into prostitution for US soldiers stationed in the country have filed a groundbreaking lawsuit accusing Washington of abuse, their lawyers said Tuesday.

Historians estimate that tens of thousands of women worked in state-sanctioned brothels from the 1950s to the 1980s, catering to American troops deployed to defend South Korea from the North. In 2022, South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled that the government had unlawfully operated such facilities and ordered compensation for about 120 victims.

Last week, 117 survivors launched a new case, directly demanding accountability and an official apology from the US military. Each plaintiff is seeking 10 million won ($7,200) in damages.

Unlike the widely recognized “comfort women” forced to serve Japanese soldiers during World War II, these women have received little public acknowledgment, partly due to Washington’s long-standing role as Seoul’s key security partner. At the height of the system, the economy surrounding US military base towns — including brothels, bars, and related businesses — contributed around 25 percent of South Korea’s GDP during the 1960s and 70s, according to researchers.

One plaintiff, now in her 60s, recalled being deceived at age 17 into what she thought was bartending work, only to be trapped in sexual exploitation and told she could not leave due to “debt.”

“Every night we were dragged to US soldiers and sexually abused. Every week, we were forced to undergo venereal disease tests. If there was the slightest abnormality, we were locked in a small room and injected with a thick needle of strong penicillin,” she said.

“The shots were so harsh that my legs gave out and I couldn’t even walk.”

Women’s rights groups backing the case said the US military “ignored the South Korean Constitution” and robbed the victims of freedom and dignity.

The lawsuit names the South Korean government as the formal defendant, since under current law Seoul must first compensate victims of unlawful acts committed by US forces and then seek repayment from Washington.

Lawyer Ha Ju-hee said the case aims to hold both Seoul and the US military accountable. The United States still maintains about 28,500 troops in South Korea.

In response, US Forces Korea confirmed awareness of the lawsuit but declined to comment, stressing its commitment to “good order and discipline” and compliance with South Korean law.