By Kang Seung-woo
The specter of nationalism is rapidly surfacing in Korea, raised by Heritage of Korean Independence (HKI) President Kim Won-woong, who denounced alleged "pro-Japanese traitors," including the nation's first head of state.
Some high-profile politicians in the ruling bloc have pumped up the issue after backing Kim's stance. Diplomatic watchers are concerned that such an anti-Japan movement is likely to worsen already-frayed ties with Tokyo, with no breakthrough in sight.
The HKI is an organization that gives awards to families and descendants of independence fighters and Kim was appointed by President Moon Jae-in.
Continuing his criticism of people who allegedly collaborated in the Japanese colonial rule, Kim has targeted Ahn Eak-tai, who composed the Korean national anthem.
In a Liberation Day address, Saturday, Kim condemned Ahn for his alleged pro-Japan and pro-Nazi activities, calling him a "traitor to the Korean people." Kim lamented that Korea is the only country using a "traitor-composed" song as its national anthem.
During a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday, the HKI unveiled video footage showing Ahn conducting a concert celebrating the 10th anniversary of the founding of Manchukuo with the assistance of the German Federal Archives or Bundesarchiv. Manchukuo was a puppet state in the northeastern area of China that the Japanese Empire established in the early 1930s.
Kim has also accused the nation's first President Syngman Rhee of colluding with pro-Japanese figures to consolidate his post-liberation power, while calling for moving of 69 graves containing the remains of people he claims were also "traitors" from a national cemetery as part of efforts to "straighten out history."
An alliance of 25 civic groups that commemorate the independence movement expressed its support for Kim, Wednesday, urging the government to replace the national anthem with a new one.
In the wake of Kim's speech, Rep. Lee Nak-yon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), a leading presidential hopeful in the 2022 election, and Kim Boo-kyum, a former four-term lawmaker who is vying with Lee for the DPK chairmanship, have expressed supported for the HKI president.
The opposition parties, on the other hand, harshly denounced Kim for dividing the nation, which is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It is pathetic that there is a group distorting history and dividing the nation plagued by economic, security and coronavirus issues," said Kim Chong-in, the interim leader of the main opposition United Future Party, Thursday.
Ahn Cheol-soo, head of the minor opposition People's Party, also said, "Kim is trying to eliminate 75 years of history of the nation's industrialization and democratization, turning the nation into a place of division and conflict."
Park Won-gon, a professor of international politics at Handong Global University, said given that the government approved of Kim's nationalist-leaning remarks in the state-organized Liberation Day event, it must have a similar point of view.
"I think the government's basic view is reflected in Kim's speech and in that respect, Korea and Japan are unlikely to find a way to break the current deadlock in their ties at the moment," he said.
The specter of nationalism is rapidly surfacing in Korea, raised by Heritage of Korean Independence (HKI) President Kim Won-woong, who denounced alleged "pro-Japanese traitors," including the nation's first head of state.
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| Heritage of Korean Independence President Kim Won-woong / Yonhap |
The HKI is an organization that gives awards to families and descendants of independence fighters and Kim was appointed by President Moon Jae-in.
Continuing his criticism of people who allegedly collaborated in the Japanese colonial rule, Kim has targeted Ahn Eak-tai, who composed the Korean national anthem.
In a Liberation Day address, Saturday, Kim condemned Ahn for his alleged pro-Japan and pro-Nazi activities, calling him a "traitor to the Korean people." Kim lamented that Korea is the only country using a "traitor-composed" song as its national anthem.
During a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday, the HKI unveiled video footage showing Ahn conducting a concert celebrating the 10th anniversary of the founding of Manchukuo with the assistance of the German Federal Archives or Bundesarchiv. Manchukuo was a puppet state in the northeastern area of China that the Japanese Empire established in the early 1930s.
Kim has also accused the nation's first President Syngman Rhee of colluding with pro-Japanese figures to consolidate his post-liberation power, while calling for moving of 69 graves containing the remains of people he claims were also "traitors" from a national cemetery as part of efforts to "straighten out history."
An alliance of 25 civic groups that commemorate the independence movement expressed its support for Kim, Wednesday, urging the government to replace the national anthem with a new one.
In the wake of Kim's speech, Rep. Lee Nak-yon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), a leading presidential hopeful in the 2022 election, and Kim Boo-kyum, a former four-term lawmaker who is vying with Lee for the DPK chairmanship, have expressed supported for the HKI president.
The opposition parties, on the other hand, harshly denounced Kim for dividing the nation, which is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It is pathetic that there is a group distorting history and dividing the nation plagued by economic, security and coronavirus issues," said Kim Chong-in, the interim leader of the main opposition United Future Party, Thursday.
Ahn Cheol-soo, head of the minor opposition People's Party, also said, "Kim is trying to eliminate 75 years of history of the nation's industrialization and democratization, turning the nation into a place of division and conflict."
Park Won-gon, a professor of international politics at Handong Global University, said given that the government approved of Kim's nationalist-leaning remarks in the state-organized Liberation Day event, it must have a similar point of view.
"I think the government's basic view is reflected in Kim's speech and in that respect, Korea and Japan are unlikely to find a way to break the current deadlock in their ties at the moment," he said.
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