House of Sharing allegedly fabricated document

The House of Sharing, a nongovernmental organization advocating for Korean victims of wartime sex slavery by the Japanese military, is facing allegations that it fabricated a late victim’s deed of covenant, according to a media report Saturday.

The news came as another group, Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, is making headlines with allegations that it misused funds — a scandal that could damage the new career of the group’s former head Yoon Meehyung who became a member of the National Assembly as a proportional representative candidate for the party Civil Together.

The Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times, revealed an allegation that the deed of covenant filed by the late Bae Chun-hee was fabricated by the organization’s secretary general.

“We’ve confirmed from her medical report that on the day she signed the document, she was hospitalized. It’s questionable whether she would have been able to sign the document on the day she was gravely ill and went to the hospital.” Bae passed away later the same year at the age of 91.

Bae’s stamp can be seen in a photo of the document that states she would donate her assets to the House of Sharing.

The paper also quoted a member of the House of Sharing staff saying that when Bae was alive he had never heard her state that she had wanted to donate her money to the organization. “It’s also questionable that Bae’s stamp was found in the office of the secretary general,” the paper quoted the staff member as saying.

Also, the Hankook Ilbo questioned the authenticity of the document as it was typed rather than handwritten, and was not notarized — something that was even against internal rules.

The suspicion was raised immediately after Bae’s death but disappeared after the Supreme Court’s ruling in January this year that said the House of Sharing had the right to keep part of her assets worth some 158 million won ($127,400).

It is the latest scandal in Korea involving an activist group advocating for survivors of former sex slaves. Previously, the House of Sharing also faced accusations regarding the opaque use of its funds.

The two organizations have been at the forefront of the fight to get justice for these women.