Jeonnam Province Launches Investigation to Erase Japanese Names from Public Registers... Clearing Remnants of Iljae

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province is set to begin clearing remnants of Japanese colonial rule in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Liberation Day.

Jeonnam Province (Governor Kim Young-rok) announced on the 8th that it will start an investigation with the Public Procurement Service to "erase Japanese names from official registers" such as land registers and certified copies of real estate registers.

This investigation targets approximately 24,000 land parcels in the province that still bear Japanese-style names consisting of four or more characters, which were not included in the list of Japanese names compiled by the Pro-Japanese Property Investigation Committee.

The province anticipates difficulties as it investigates land parcels with no ownership changes for 75 years, but plans to continue managing land owned by those who changed their names during the Sillim Gaemyung (name change policy) until Japanese notations are completely removed from national official registers.

This "Erasing Japanese Names from Official Registers" project will have city and county offices conduct an initial investigation by their own authority by September and compile a preliminary list of targets for correction.

Based on the results of the first investigation, the province and city/county offices will begin a project to unify land registers and certified copies of real estate registers with related agencies. Through a second in-depth investigation, the Public Procurement Service will gradually proceed with nationalization procedures.

Jeonnam Province urged owners and heirs of land registered under Japanese names to verify their family registers and prove private ownership so that ownership can be changed, following the implementation of the "Special Act on Real Estate Ownership Transfer Registration" starting August 5.

Jung Ae-sook, head of the Land Management Division of Jeonnam Province, said, "We hope this investigation will mark the final stage of clearing Japanese colonial remnants and serve as an opportunity to secure fiscal revenue," adding, "We will do our best to organize official registers and nationalize properties registered under Japanese names."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.