On August 14th, the opposition party, civil society, and religious leaders condemned the diplomatic policy towards Japan and distortions of history by the Yoon administration on the eve of Liberation Day. The government had announced a “New Korea-Japan Relationship Declaration,” but they countered with a “1000-Person Declaration” at the ’79th Liberation Anniversary National Assembly-Civil Society-Religious Leader 1000-Person Declaration’ event held at the National Assembly headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul.,
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| ▲ Park Chan-dae, acting president of the Democratic Party of Korea and floor leader, along with Jo Guk, president of the Jo Guk Innovation Party, Yoon Jong-oh, floor leader of the Progressive Party, and Han Chang-min, president of the Social Democratic Party, attended the event on the morning of August 14th, condemning the Yoon administration for supporting Japan’s listing of the Sado Gwangsan as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and appointing Kim Hyung-seok as an Independence Memorial Hall director, while distorting history. |
| ⓒ Yoo Seong-ho |
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, “The National Assembly, filled with voices criticizing the Yoon administration’s ‘pro-Japanese historical perception’ and ‘shameful diplomacy,’ on the eve of Liberation Day,”,
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, ‘The Democratic Party of Korea, Jo Guk Innovation Party, Progressive Party, Social Democratic Party, along with the Korean-Japanese Historical Justice Peace Action and Autonomous Unification Peace Alliance, held a press conference in front of the National Assembly headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul on the morning of the 14th, denouncing the Yoon administration as a “pro-Japanese historical coup d’état” and hurling fierce criticism at the government and the president, calling them “pro-Japanese pro-foreign government,” “anti-national government,” and “Joseon Governor-General’s Governor-General.” It was the day before the 79th Liberation Day on August 15th.’,
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, ‘Dividing their criticism into two main points, the groups targeted the New Right appointments, including the listing of the Sado Gwangsan as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the appointment of Kim Hyung-seok as the director of the Independence Memorial Hall, and declared their opposition to the “New Korea-Japan Relationship Declaration” being pursued by the Yoon administration in preparation for the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan next year, with their “1000-Person Declaration” announced for the first time on this day, highlighting that it was an effort to condemn the Yoon administration’s “shameful pro-Japanese diplomacy.”‘,
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, “The press conference was attended by members of the Democratic Party of Korea, Jo Guk Innovation Party, and Progressive Party in large numbers. Holding up signs reading ‘Delete Forced Labor Sado Gwangsan,’ ‘Rescind New Right Independence Memorial Hall Director Appointment,’ ‘Condemn Yoon Seok-yeol’s Shameful Diplomacy,’ they chanted ‘Mansei’ three times, emphasizing the spirit of independence movements and escalating their criticism of the Yoon administration’s ‘pro-Japanese’ stance.”,
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, “Kim Hyung-seok Appointment, like appointing Chun Doo-hwan as head of May 18th Memorial Hall”
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| ▲ Park Chan-dae “Yoon Seok-yeol President distorting history, unfit to be president” ⓒ Yoo Seong-ho |
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, “The press conference was filled with criticism of the Yoon administration’s ‘pro-Japanese historical perception.'”,
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, ‘Park Chan-dae, acting president and floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, took the floor first, stating, “From the head of the National Education Council to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and now the director of the Independence Memorial Hall, pro-Japanese forces have taken over. Furthermore, the Yoon administration turned a blind eye to the suffering of about 1,900 Korean workers who were mobilized into forced labor and supported Japan’s listing of the Sado Gwangsan as a UNESCO World Heritage Site,” criticizing, “By now, this is a pro-Japanese pro-foreign government conducting a historical coup d’état against the people.” ‘,
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, ‘He continued, “The Yoon administration destroys national pride with blindly pro-Japanese diplomacy externally and erases independence movements unilaterally internally, denying the identity of the Republic of Korea. All this confusion and division lie with President Yoon Seok-yeol. A president who denies the Constitution, which inherits the spirit of the Provisional Government Law and the April 19th ideology, distorts history, is not fit to be president.”‘,
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| ▲ Jo Guk “Is Yoon Seok-yeol President the Governor-General of the Joseon Government-General?” ⓒ Yoo Seong-ho |
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, ‘Jo Guk, president of the Jo Guk Innovation Party, stated, “On August 15, 1945, it is not Liberation Day, but Kim Hyung-seok, who denies Liberation, became the director of the Independence Memorial Hall, which is like appointing Chun Doo-hwan as the head of the May 18th Democratic Movement Memorial Hall. It is terrifying to imagine revising August 15 as a defeat day, the Independence Memorial Hall as a defeat memorial hall, and the independence fighters as an armed terrorist group. Is Yoon Seok-yeol the President of the Republic of Korea or the Governor-General of the Joseon Government-General?” continuing his criticism.’,
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, ‘Park Seok-woon, co-representative of the Korean-Japanese Historical Justice Peace Action, Lee Guk-eon, head of the Forced Mobilization Victims Association, and Bang Hak-jin, director of the National Issues Research Institute, read the ‘1000-Person Declaration’ condemning the Yoon administration’s ‘pro-Japanese’ behavior. They called for “clearly revealing the details of the Sado Gwangsan agreement that aligns with Japan’s historical distortion,” “apologizing and compensating for the Japanese forced mobilization and comfort women issue,” and “withdrawing the appointment of the New Right Independence Memorial Hall director.”‘,
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, “The opposition parties had earlier declared their non-attendance at the government-hosted Liberation Day ceremony. The Anti-Japanese Independence Leading Task Force, composed of 25 independence activists’ organizations, plans to hold a separate event for Liberation Day on August 15 at Yongsan Hwachang Park in Seoul. At 6:30 p.m. on the same day, the ’12th World Comfort Women Memorial Day Butterfly Culture Festival’ will be held in front of Donga Duty-Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Seoul.”,
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, ‘Below is the full text of the 1000-Person Declaration.’,
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, The Yoon administration must stop the pro-Japanese historical coup d’état! 1000-Person Declaration for the 79th Liberation Day
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, This year, we celebrate the 79th anniversary of independence. However, the unresolved issue of colonial domination from the Japanese colonial period, which has not brought full liberation to our society, is being pushed back in time by the anti-constitutional and anti-historical actions of the Yoon administration. The administration’s pro-Japanese national disgrace diplomacy as a pretext for improving Korea-Japan relations has crossed the line and reached a ‘pro-Japanese historical coup d’état.’
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, We condemn President Yoon Seok-yeol, acting as a Japanese agent.
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, On July 27th, the Sado Gwangsan in Japan was listed as a world cultural heritage site. The Yoon administration actively sympathized with Japan’s historical distortion, such as ‘not mentioning forced mobilization,’ falsely claiming to the people, “We have achieved what we wanted from Japan.” More and more disgraceful diplomatic efforts surrounding the Sado Gwangsan agreement are being revealed. On August 7th, it was revealed that Yoon Seok-yeol’s Korean government requested ‘no expression of forced labor’ which was once agreed upon, and when Japan refused, he immediately backed down. Then on the 9th, it was revealed that to heed domestic criticism, a statement by the Japanese representative was manipulated as if Japan had acknowledged the forced mobilization of the Koreans. It is a historical act of betrayal. We ask Yoon Seok-yeol: Which country’s national interest are you talking about!
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, The Yoon administration not only acts as a Japanese agent but also carries out a historical coup d’état for imperial Japan.
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, On August 7, 2024, the Yoon administration ignored the opposition of the Gwangbok Association and Independence Meritorious Leaders groups and appointed Kim Hyung-seok, also known as ‘New Right,’ as the director of the Independence Memorial Hall. ‘New Right’ advocates colonial modernization theory and supports the period of Japanese colonial rule. They advocate for the establishment of National Foundation Day in 1948, disguise the pro-Japanese activities of pro-Japanese figures as national achievements, and falsely label independence activists as terrorists. The new director of the Independence Memorial Hall said on his inauguration, “I will raise issues so that no one listed in the pro-Japanese name dictionary is unfairly accused of pro-Japanese.” It is a staggering act. Considering the reason for the existence and establishment purpose of the Independence Memorial Hall, such a disgraceful act should not be done.
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, Today, August 14, 2024, is the 12th World Comfort Women Memorial Day.
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, Thirty-three years ago today, the day has become a reminder that Kim Hak-soon, a victim of the Japanese military’s ‘comfort women’ system, courageously revealed herself in front of us as evidence that she was alive. Since the first public testimony, the victims have been continuously demanding an official apology and legal compensation from Japan. Finally, they have achieved an historic ruling acknowledging Japan’s war crimes, but Japan, with brazen defiance, continues to deny responsibility, citing violations of international law. In response, the Yoon administration, like a parrot, shouts about adhering to the 2015 Korea-Japan agreement that has already fallen apart, continuing to carry out shameful diplomacy and self-inflicted foreign diplomacy. Do they not know that the inclusion of the Japanese military’s ‘comfort women’ records in the World Cultural Heritage Site in the case of the Sado Gwangsan is being delayed by Japan’s open obstruction?’
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, The Yoon administration offers disgraced solutions to forced labor shame and is accelerating towards the South Korea-U.S.-Japan military alliance proposed by the U.S.
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, In August of last year, the South Korea-U.S.-Japan summit declared through the Camp David Declaration that the three countries would share information and synchronize responses, effectively declaring a military alliance. Recently, without the approval of the National Assembly and the public, the defense ministers signed the ‘South Korea-U.S.-Japan Security Cooperation Framework Agreement’ and declared that they would ‘make the establishment of the military alliance irreversible.’ The Yoon administration intends to announce a ‘New Korea-Japan Relationship Declaration’ to mark the 60th anniversary of the Korea-Japan agreement in 2025. Its purpose is to grant Japan complete absolution and to lure the self-defense forces to the Korean Peninsula through a South Korea-Japan military alliance. Unless the day comes when the self-defense forces are planted back on the Korean Peninsula, the Yoon administration should immediately stop its pro-Japanese misconduct.
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, Today, as we commemorate the 79th Liberation Day, let us pledge to inherit the spirit of the anti-Japanese independence movement and make the following declaration.
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, The Yoon administration must clearly disclose the Sado Gwangsan agreement, which complies with Japan’s historical distortion!
, Oppose Japan’s entry into the Korean Peninsula with its self-defense forces! Stop the South Korea-Japan military cooperation and the South Korea-U.S.-Japan military alliance!
, Japan should apologize and compensate for the forced mobilization of Koreans and the ‘comfort women’ issue by the Japanese military!
, The Yoon administration should stop the pursuit of a pro-Japanese New Korea-Japan relationship declaration!
, Withdraw the appointment of the New Right Independence Memorial Hall director!
, Denounce the Yoon administration’s shameful pro-Japanese diplomacy!
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, August 14, 2024
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| ▲ Park Chan-dae, acting president of the Democratic Party of Korea and floor leader, along with Jo Guk, president of the Jo Guk Innovation Party, Yoon Jong-oh, floor leader of the Progressive Party, and Han Chang-min, president of the Social Democratic Party, attended the event on the morning of August 14, condemning the Yoon administration for supporting Japan’s listing of the Sado Gwangsan as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and appointing Kim Hyung-seok as an Independence Memorial Hall director while distorting history. |
| ⓒ Yoo Seong-ho |
,
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| ▲ Park Chan-dae, acting president of the Democratic Party of Korea and floor leader, along with Jo Guk, president of the Jo Guk Innovation Party, Yoon Jong-oh, floor leader of the Progressive Party, and Han Chang-min, president of the Social Democratic Party, attended the event on the morning of August 14, condemning the Yoon administration for supporting Japan’s listing of the Sado Gwangsan as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and appointing Kim Hyung-seok as an Independence Memorial Hall director while distorting history. | Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today