Anti-Japan movement taking new turn
By Kim Jae-heun
In the wake of the Japanese government's trade restrictions on Korea and removal from its list of preferred trading partners over the past month, Korean consumers have launched massive boycott movements ranging from the boycott of Japanese products to the cancellation of trips to the neighboring country.
But as the bilateral situation worsens, Koreans are looking to learn more about the history between the two countries.
“I was talking to my American friend about how Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is distorting history and denying Japan's use of wartime forced labor. But when he asked in-depth questions about the background, I had limited knowledge to answer them,” said Cho Hyun-soo, a 31-year-old office worker.
“So I recently joined a book club to read books on Korean history. I realized that before teaching my foreign friends about the truth of Japan's distortions of history, I must know about the background history first.”
Kim Ga-yeon, another office worker, said she had also bought several books on the history of the modern world and Korea.
“I am Korean and I want to believe what local dailies and broadcasters report here. But if I were Japanese, I thought I would believe what their press reports in their country,” Kim said. “In this case, somebody is hiding the truth and to find the answer, I thought I should do it on my own rather than passively relying on the sources printed or aired in the media.”
The desire to learn about Korea's history is growing. According to eBay Korea, the sales of books on Korean history last month increased by 20 percent from the previous month.
The applicants for a regular state-run test on Korean history have exceeded the quota recently and its host had to look for more test venues.
Seol Min-suk, a well-known history teacher, saw views of his online lecture related to the Japanese colonial era skyrocket, recording over 520,000 views as of Sunday. Seol's other lecture titled “Why Japan colonized Joseon,” recorded over 700,000 views as of the same day.
The trade dispute is also affecting the places that Koreans are choosing to visit.
Last Sunday, some 3,700 people visited Seodaemun Prison History Hall in western Seoul, where independence activists were jailed and tortured.
A travel industry official said there have been growing inquiries about a historical experience package tour to Shanghai in China, which houses the site of the Korean Provisional Government during the colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945.
Office worker Cho changed his holiday plans as a result of the trade conflict. “I recently canceled a trip to Osaka, Japan, that was scheduled for September. Instead, I plan to visit Dokdo,” Cho said.
“I've always claimed that Dokdo is Korean territory but I've never been there myself. I will take this chance to visit the country's easternmost islets and take a proof shot there.”