By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter
A Seoul court dismissed Friday an injunction filed by the son of former President Park Chung-hee (1917-1979) to remove the military dictator's name from a forthcoming report on collaborators during Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945) of Korea.
``The parts regarding the former President are based on historical and actual facts, supplied with sufficient references,’’ Judge Suh Chang-won said. ``Including Park is an academic judgment. It is hard to conclude that it oversteps the freedom of forming scholarly opinion.’’
Park Ji-man demanded the removal of his father’s name from the report that includes a list of more than 4,000 Koreans who cooperated with the Japanese. It is to be published Sunday by the Institute of Research on Collaborationist Activities.
The report shows that Park once made a pledge of allegiance written in blood to the Japanese army in 1939, testifying that he once described himself specifically as ``Japanese’’ in his writings. ``I have the mindset and spirit befitting a Japanese subject and am willing to give my life,’’ he wrote in a letter to the Japanese Army, hoping to be being recruited.
The court also dismissed an injunction on behalf of journalist Jang Ji-yeon (1864-1921), who worked for the pro-Japanese ``Maeil Shinbo,’’ filed by his surviving family and supporters.
``Listing Jang as a collaborator does not hurt the name or the dignity of his family,’’ the court said. ``The inclusion was made based on historical evidence found in his writing.’’ Jang wrote editorials and articles for the Gyeonnam Ilbo and Mail Shinbo.