Representative Mike Honda of the U.S. House of Representatives Lectures at Yonsei Donated Lecture Fee of One Million Won to the “House of Sharing” “It doesn’t matter who I am. What matters is what I believe. I merely expressed what I believed to be right.” Representative Mike Honda of the U.S. Democratic Party, who came into the international spotlight for having passed a House of Representatives resolution condemning the war atrocities of Japan during WWII, gave a lecture at Yonsei on November 28. He was invited by the Institute for Leadership Development, and over 500 students gathered to hear him speak. A third generation Japanese-American, Rep. Honda began his speech by explaining his reason for coming to Korea: “I have come to visit the House of Sharing and meet the former ‘comfort women’. I would also like to meet with Korean students and politicians to discuss the ‘comfort woman’ resolution.” Honda played a pivotal role in the unanimous passing of the ‘comfort woman’ resolution calling on the Japanese government to acknowledge and apologize for their wartime atrocities. “It would have been better if a Korean had brought up the resolution,” said Rep. Honda. Yet he was confident that his was the just cause “Because of the resolution, I have been impeached, and people have said bad things about me, but I did what was right. If voters do not like me for such actions, they can show me with their vote. However, the fact that I did what was right will not go away.” His voice was powerful and his words showed his strong determination. “The resolution will have actual effect. Things are happening internationally, in the Netherlands, in Australia, in Canada. This international opinion will put pressure on the Japanese government. The Japanese government and the Japanese people are different. In addition to the international movement, Koreans must reach out to the Japanese people through various routes, such as email. It is possible to change the Japanese people and their government.” Rep. Honda also revealed his plans for the future. “During WWII, the U.S. government promised the people of the Philippines that if they helped the U.S., they would be given American citizenship. This promise was not kept. I plan to bring this up.” Additionally, he is planning to reveal the truth about the prisoners who were forced to work for Japanese companies and demand compensation for them. His determination to do what is right seems unstoppable. Rep. Honda also notified the Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan that he would donate his lecture fees that he received while in Korea to the House of Sharing, a facility for former ‘comfort women’. Also, a former ‘comfort woman’ Shim Mi-Ja, who has worked for the past 14 years to pass the resolution, came to the Yonsei lecture and greeted the speaker.