A confession at the risk of his life
Here is a confession of an old South Korean professor.
In Japan, people can talk about anything freely because we have a free-speech law. How about in S.Korea? This S.Korean professor says in his HP that it is a very risky attempt for him to speak the truth about history between Japan and Korea. Such suppression of free speech is originally unworthy of the democratic country. If Korean people think their historical perspective is right in the context of objective facts, they would have no occasion to remove another opinion, wouldn't they? Koreans have to have more respect for laws, rules and objective facts, and they should argue about the problems between Japan and S.Korea in more calm manner。
**A South Korean professor’s confession**
"I am 88 years old now. I want to speak the truth here."
(Che Kiho崔基鎬, a guest professor of the Kaya 伽耶University of korea)
I was born in 1923 in the last years of the Korea. I want to speak "the truth" here for neither Korea nor Japan. I need a great deal of decision to do it. I have to prepare myself even for a crisis of life. But I believe this is my mission.
I was living in Seoul, sometimes went to Pyongyang or Tokyo.
The Koreans of that time were "more Japanese than the Japanese".
We would see news film of the war before the main movie in the theater. When Japan's victory in New Guinea Campaign was screened there was a great clapping of hands like a storm and filled "Banzai" inside the hole. As I liked movies, also used to go to the theater in Tokyo, in the same situation Japanese people were calm, adversely the Korean were very delighted just like getting an electric shock. This was an usual scene in daily life in that time. So I can't trust the word "pro‐Japanese side" They criticize even their ancestors by using the untrustworthy words.
Korean leaders has attempt to get people to be anti-Japanists passionately in order to negate an image of "gentle and kindly Japanese" As compared to Korean and Japanese history education, whereas Japan distorts 10% of the facts, S.korea 90% of them, I think.
They haven't taught their people about an extraordinary political corruption at the end of the Chosen Dynasty period, instead saying that Korea could have attained independence successfully if Japan had not gotten involved in it.
It is clear that Japan has improved education, medical services, industry and society's infrastructure of Korea since Japan's annexation of the Korean Peninsula, and laid the foundation for the modernization of the country.
I am astounded at the Koreans who condemn the Japan's achievements by saying "That was just product of aggressive policy of Japan's imperialism!" I will not even comment especially on such claim as "Japan's imperialism worked against the development of the Korean national industries!"
It was the Chosen Dynasty that killed Korea's national industries. They considered forward-thinking people as rebels, and executed not only them but also their families. The Koreans cry out, "Japan's abuse of Koreans" or "sexual slavery", but I can't believe that because I know the historical truths of Korea.
Korea had been just like the hell. It remained unaltered after the Korean Empire established.
In 1904 Japan decided to provide a financial aid to Korea to save miserable state of it. For example in 1907, although Korea had annual government revenue of only 7.48 million yen, it spent more than 30 million yen annually. and Japan bore the difference of them. In 1908, it rose to 31 million yen.
What do you think about the 88 years old man's outcry?
(written and translated by a member of OFJ "Objections from Japan")
Accusation of Old Professor
the professor's HP
