Shinhwa’s Kim Dong Wan Donates to "Comfort Women" Charity

Shinhwa star Kim Dong Wan has donated 30 million won (about 29,000 USD) to a charity that supports former Korean World War II sex slaves. Referred to as “comfort women,” these women were forced to have sex with Japanese soldiers before and during the war. Kim Dong Wan’s donation, made to charity group House of Sharing, will be used to help construction of a memorial hall, built to commemorate the women’s plight.

Kim Dong Wan explained that he wanted to ensure that the comfort women’s ordeal would never be forgotten. The Shinhwa star said, “I think even a painful history should be remembered and not forgotten.”

This is not the first time that Kim Dong Wan has made a noteworthy donation to charity. In the past, he has also given money to the victims of the Yeonpyeong-do Islands attacks in 2010, as well as the survivors of typhoons in the Philippines, and has been involved in various other charitable endeavors.