More than 117 South Korean women have filed a landmark lawsuit that sheds new light on a system of sexual exploitation tied to US troops stationed in the country. Their case, lodged in September 2025, accuses the US military of being the real culprit behind state-sanctioned brothels that operated from the 1950s through the 1980s. For decades, authorities forced tens of thousands of women into these facilities under debt bondage. Recruiters coerced many minors into sexual servitude by disguising it as bar or restaurant work.

The lawsuit follows a 2022 ruling by South Korea’s Supreme Court, which confirmed that the government had illegally established, managed, and operated these brothels. That decision ordered compensation for over 120 women, but it stopped short of holding the US military to account. The new case marks the first attempt to directly tie responsibility to Washington, demanding not only financial damages but also an official apology.

Brothels as a National Economy

Historians estimate that by the 1960s and 70s, the economy surrounding US base towns contributed nearly a quarter of South Korea’s GDP. Restaurants, barbershops, and entertainment venues thrived alongside the brothels, while the women trapped inside lived under constant surveillance. Each was tagged with an identification number, treated more like a commodity than a human being.

The abuses were not limited to forced sex. Plaintiffs describe frequent beatings for minor infractions such as failing to smile or lowering their heads while pouring drinks. Survivors recall undergoing weekly venereal disease tests. Authorities confined women suspected of infection in quarantine facilities that US soldiers called “Monkey Houses.” Soldiers coined the nickname after hearing the desperate cries of women begging to be released. Survivors recount brutal penicillin injections so harsh that their legs collapsed under them.

In the new lawsuit, 117 women seek 10 million won each, or about $7,200, in damages. Their lawyers argue that while Seoul operated the brothels, the system existed for the direct benefit of the US military, making both governments responsible. One attorney described the military as the real architect of the abuse, even if victims can only name the South Korean state as the official defendant.

This legal framework reflects the Status of Forces Agreement, which shields US soldiers from direct liability in Korean courts. If the plaintiffs succeed, South Korean taxpayers would shoulder the cost, leaving open the question of whether Seoul will attempt to recover funds from Washington. Meanwhile, US Forces Korea has acknowledged awareness of the lawsuit but declined further comment while proceedings are underway. In a statement, the command said it does not condone actions that violate South Korean law and remains committed to maintaining discipline.

Final Thoughts

The case represents a long-delayed confrontation with a system of sexual slavery built to sustain a military alliance. For years, discussion of the so-called comfort women focused almost entirely on Japan, while the suffering of women forced to serve US soldiers received little attention. The plaintiffs now demand that silence be broken. Their stories point to the complicity of two governments, and to the economic machinery that profited from their pain. Whether or not the court delivers justice, the lawsuit ensures that this buried chapter will no longer remain in the shadows.

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