They held a rally before the official residence of the prime minister on Jan. 4 to denounce the authorities for seeking to cover up the issue of sexual slavery.

They insisted that the girl's statue should never be removed but be erected in the national parks and other places of Japan.

The recent "agreement" cannot be recognized as it was made regardless of the people's will.

Prior to the rally, the "national action for solving the issue of comfort women for the Imperial Japanese Army," a civic body of Japan, on Dec. 29 made public a statement in protest against the "agreement" between Japan and south Korea.

The organization said that Japan's demand for removal of the girl's statue is nothing but an insult to the victims.