South Koreans Strongly Oppose Pres. Park’s Cabinet Nominees for Being Pro-Japanese

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South Koreans Strongly Oppose Pres. Park’s Cabinet Nominees for Being Pro-Japanese

By oglim

Some of the living fighters of the Korean independence against Japanese colonial rule and their descendants spoke out in protest of President’s Park Geun Hye’s nomination of pro-Japanese personage for her cabinet in South Korea. In their statement dated on June 18th, 2014 205 living Korean Independence fighters and their descendants said that nominating Moon Chang-Keuk for Prime Minister, Kim Myung-su for Minister of Education, and Park Hyo-jong for Chairman of the Korea Communications Commissions is against the very foundation of the nation that Korean independence fighters fought for and many sacrificed their lives for. 

They claimed that these people have denied the spirit of the Constitution of South Korea, zealously praising Imperial Japanese occupation. They said, this is not a matter between the ruling party and the oppositions nor between the conservatives and the liberals. This is a matter between justice and injustice and between historical facts and lies. 

They, furthermore, questioned if President Park has pro-Japan tendency in her DNA as the daughter of former dictator, Park Jung-hi (who changed his name to Dakaki Masao and wrote in blood a letter of allegiance to the Japanese Imperialist Army). They sadly said that the Korean martyrs who fought hard against Japanese colonization, if alive today, would have thrown a bomb at those nominees and other pro-Japanese sympathizers. 

At the end they stated that Park’s government has lost its legitimacy by acting against the spirit of our independence. They added, they would doubt her qualities and qualifications as a president unless she corrects her wrongdoings immediately. 

South Korean President Park Geun-hye nominated Moon Chang-keuk to replace Chung Hong-won, who resigned after the ferry Sewol disaster on April 16th, 2014 which killed 300 passengers most of whom were high school students. The nomination has caused outrage among the public as it comes out that Moon holds extreme pro-Japanese views. He addressed a church in 2011 saying that Japanese colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula was God’s will. He also reportedly said that Japan did not need to apologize to the Korean “comfort women” who had been forced by the Japanese Imperialist Army to become sex slaves during WWII, stirring up the entire nation. The other 2 nominees for Park’s cabinet appear to have similar views on South Korea’s relationship with Japan. By giving key positions in her administration, in education, and in the media to pro-Japanese figures the population is greatly worried about the direction the country is headed. 

The poll says that approximately 70% of the nation wants Moon to withdraw his name from the nomination. Even some members of the ruling party want to see him go. Despite the backlash Moon still wants the position. 

*Photo Credit: PlusKorea