Gil Won-ok, a Korean woman who was forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II, died on February 16 at the age of 97. Gil was also a dedicated women's rights activist who worked to raise awareness of the issue of comfort women and to demand justice from the Japanese government.

Gil was born in 1928 in what is now North Korea. In 1940, she was tricked into going to work at a factory in China, but was instead taken to a comfort station where she was forced to work as a sex slave for Japanese soldiers. She was only 13 years old at the time.

After the war, Gil returned to Korea and eventually learned about the other women who had been forced into sexual slavery. She became an activist and began to speak out about her experiences. She also participated in weekly protests in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul, demanding an apology and compensation from the Japanese government.

Gil's activism helped to bring the issue of comfort women to international attention. She spoke at the United Nations and other international forums, and her testimony helped to pressure the Japanese government to acknowledge its responsibility for the wartime atrocities.

In 2017, Gil released an album of traditional Korean music. She had dreamed of becoming a singer as a child, but her dreams were shattered when she was forced into sexual slavery. The album was a way for her to share her love of music with the world and to honor the other comfort women.

Gil's death is a loss to the women's rights movement and to the fight for justice for the victims of sexual violence. She was a courageous woman who dedicated her life to fighting for justice and equality.

Gil is survived by her husband and three children.