Vietnam War Rape and Assault Victims Call for Apology from Korean President Park Geun-hye

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Voices of Vietnam, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about Vietnamese women who were raped and sexually assaulted by South Korean troops during the Vietnam War, today announced that Vietnamese survivors of rape and sexual assault at the hands of South Korean soldiers during the Vietnam War today sent a letter to Republic of Korea President Park Geun-hye calling for an apology for crimes committed against them.

"We write you today because we fear that our stories will be forgotten. Decades have passed without a formal apology, acknowledgement, or reparations from your Government. Even so, the Government of Vietnam recently signed a trade agreement between our two countries, binding our futures while ignoring our shared painful past," their letter stated.

"We and our sisters across the country, and our thousands of children and grandchildren face many challenges today, including in securing an education and finding work, and receiving the support of basic social services. Our experiences and struggles have been rejected for more than four decades by the people and government of Korea."

"We survivors and Lai Dai Han also want to look ahead. While we are old, we want to have hope for the futures of children and grandchildren. We urge you to issue a sincere and deep apology for the crimes committed against us and our families and to consider reparations for the decades of hardship we have faced. With that, we wish to move forward with the dignity of recognition, and the support of those in a position to take responsibility."

One signatory of the letter, Nguyen Thi Bach Tuyet, started a petition on Change.org calling on President Park to apologize for the crimes committed against her by South Korean troops . The petition currently has over 26,000 signatures.

The full text of the letter, to watch their video testimonials and for more information, please visit www.VietnamVoices.org 

Co-chaired by Former Congressman Anh (Joseph) Cao of Louisiana, the first Vietnamese-American member of Congress, and Cyndi Nguyen, Executive Director of VIET New Orleans, Voices of Vietnam provides a platform for those that have spent years in silence.

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To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vietnam-war-rape-and-assault-victims-call-for-apology-from-korean-president-park-geun-hye-300160411.html

SOURCE Voices of Vietnam