Oldest S. Korean former sex slave dies, reducing total surviving victims to 15

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- The oldest living South Korean woman who was forced into sexual slavery by Japan during World War II died Friday, a civic group said, reducing the total number of the country's registered surviving victims to 15.

Jeong Bok-soo died at the age of 106, according to the House of Sharing, a facility in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, that supports sex slave victims.

The facility said her funeral will be held privately according to a Christian format. It decided not to disclose Jeong's story and profile at her bereaved family's request.

Jeong was the oldest surviving sex slave victim in South Korea. Her age is listed at 106 on the government database as she apparently inherited census registration records of her deceased older sister, but her actual age is 98, officials said.

However, at either age, Jeong was the oldest among South Korean sex slave victims, according to officials. She has been staying at the House of Sharing since 2013.

Historians estimate that up to 200,000 women, mostly from Korea, were forced to work in front-line brothels for Japanese troops during the war.

kdon@yna.co.kr
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