[Summary] Ruling Party "Clearing Pro-Japanese Past" vs Opposition "Rampage" Kim Won-woong's Liberation Day Speech Sparks Political Debate

Kim Won-woong's Call for 'Removal of Pro-Japanese Figures' Sparks Outrage in Opposition: "Barbaric Act... Should Be Dismissed"
Park Ju-min Visits Kim Won-woong: "Not a Political Issue Between Ruling and Opposition... Deeply Reflecting on the Speech"

Kim Won-woong, President of the Liberation Association, delivers a commemorative speech at the 75th Liberation Day Celebration held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on the morning of the 15th. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] The conflict between the ruling and opposition parties is intensifying over Kim Won-woong, president of the Liberation Association's, August 15th 'Liberation Day Celebration Speech.' The United Future Party has taken a hardline stance, demanding Kim Won-woong's dismissal, accusing him of "dividing the people with a biased ideology." On the other hand, the Democratic Party of Korea is highlighting Kim Won-woong's message of 'clearing pro-Japanese collaborators' and rebutting claims that his congratulatory speech was problematic.

In his speech at the Liberation Day celebration held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul on the morning of the same day, Kim said, "What holds back the brilliant future of our nation is pro-Japanese collaborators rooted in collaboration with Japan and parasitic on the division," strongly criticizing, "The failure to clear pro-Japanese collaborators is a fundamental disease of Korean society."

He added, "South Korea has become the only country that has not properly purged national traitors, and the unpurged history continues even now," and "Syngman Rhee violently disbanded the Anti-Communist Special Committee and colluded with pro-Japanese factions."

He continued, "We received related materials from the German government showing that Ahn Eak-tai, who composed the national anthem, was involved in pro-Japanese and pro-Nazi activities," and mentioned, "South Korea is the only country in the world that has adopted a song composed by a national traitor as its national anthem."

Kim Ki-hyun, member of the United Future Party [Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ United Future Party: "The reckless behavior of a Liberation Association president who is out of his depth"

The United Future Party immediately reacted strongly. Spokesperson Bae Jun-young said in a statement, "He called the first provisional government president by name only, denied the national anthem of South Korea, and even made an outrageous claim to exhume graves at the National Cemetery," urging Kim to resign.

Assemblyman Kim Ki-hyun criticized on his Facebook post that day, "It is regrettable that the Liberation Day ceremony was tarnished by the reckless behavior of a Liberation Association president who is out of his depth." Assemblyman Jang Je-won also condemned, "Sowing discord among the people is an act of treason," and questioned, "Why do we need a Liberation Day ceremony that divides, tears apart, hates, and curses the people?"

Assemblyman Ha Tae-kyung argued, "He labeled Syngman Rhee, who even refused to establish diplomatic relations with Japan, as a pro-Japanese collaborator. He slandered the national anthem, proudly sung by independence movement heroes including Kim Gu, as a pro-Japanese song," and claimed, "This shows how self-destructive the left's pro-Japanese accusations can be."

Assemblywoman Heo Eun-ah of the same party criticized, "Kim Won-woong's commemorative speech, which became the root cause of social division, was a message that could never come from the president of the Liberation Association of South Korea, nor should it have," and said, "Kim Won-woong, who is anti-Japan, pro-North Korea, anti-America, and pro-Moon Jae-in faction, should be dismissed." She added, "This speech is more like a message from Kim Yo-jong, head of propaganda and agitation of the Workers' Party of Korea, rather than from the Liberation Association president," and criticized, "As the regime's approval rating falls, they are trying to profit from 'anti-Japan business.'"

Professor Kim Geun-sik of Gyeongnam National University, who is the head of the United Future Party's Songpa-byeong district committee in Seoul, criticized Kim Won-woong, who served as a member of the National Assembly in the 14th, 16th, and 17th sessions, as a 'collaborator' who went through the Republican Party, Democratic Justice Party, and Grand National Party.

Professor Kim said, "If you criticize Syngman Rhee only by the pro-Japanese standard and curse Ahn Eak-tai as a national traitor, then Kim Won-woong should be criticized as a collaborator by the dictatorship standard," and asked, "How will you erase the history of Kim Won-woong, who passed the Republican Party's public recruitment, which Park Chung-hee's progressive camp curses, and served as a member of the Democratic Justice Party under Chun Doo-hwan, and participated in founding the Grand National Party and was elected as its candidate?"

Additionally, Governor Won Hee-ryong rebutted Kim's speech on the spot instead of the prepared congratulatory speech at the Liberation Day ceremony held at Jocheon Gymnasium in Jeju City that day.

Governor Won criticized, "Kim Won-woong, president of the Liberation Association, delivered a commemorative speech containing a very biased historical view that the majority of our people and residents cannot agree with."

He added, "It is very regrettable that this act, which contains only a biased history that cannot be agreed upon, was read aloud by the head of the Liberation Association's Jeju branch as a 'commemorative speech,'" and said, "On the 75th anniversary of Liberation Day, I cannot agree with the perspective that divides history into sides, saying only one is right and the rest must be condemned, carving up history and dividing the people again," and stated, "Although not everyone participated in the independence movement, living as colonial subjects was not a crime."

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Ju-min (right) is holding the Taegeukgi flag while meeting with Kim Won-woong, chairman of the Liberation Association, at the Gwangbok Hall in Yeouido, Seoul on the 15th. / Provided by Rep. Park Ju-min's office [Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Democratic Party: "Clearing pro-Japanese collaborators is not a partisan issue between ruling and opposition parties"

Meanwhile, Democratic Party lawmakers emphasized 'clearing pro-Japanese collaborators' through their personal Facebook accounts. Park Ju-min, a candidate for the Democratic Party leadership, said during a visit to the Liberation Association to meet Kim Won-woong, "Clearing pro-Japanese collaborators is neither a partisan issue between the ruling and opposition parties nor a matter of conservative or progressive ideology, but a command from the people, which I deeply reflect on from the president's Liberation Day congratulatory speech."

Assemblyman Hwang Hee wrote on his Facebook on the 15th, "On Liberation Day of all days," and said, "It is sad that the bereaved families of those who sacrificed for the country's independence cannot even properly call for clearing pro-Japanese collaborators on Korean soil." He added, "Kim Won-woong did not say anything to the United Future Party members, but I don't understand why the United Future Party shows such discomfort so boldly when someone calls for clearing pro-Japanese collaborators."

He also said, "I hope they have even half the will to clear pro-Japanese collaborators as they do to fight communists," and added, "If even calling for clearing pro-Japanese collaborators is difficult, then it would be proper etiquette on Liberation Day to just keep quiet and be silent for one day."

Assemblyman Song Young-gil also wrote on Facebook, "The pro-Japanese history that has not been fully cleared is a shame that makes it difficult to raise our heads before the independence heroes," and said, "It is overwhelming to explain to the heroes that pro-Japanese anti-national collaborators are buried in the National Cemetery." He criticized, "It is even more shameful that those who oppose bills to relocate graves or mark pro-Japanese acts as 'dividing the people' are one of the major political forces."

Assemblyman Oh Ki-hyung said, "The government and the National Assembly must seriously reflect on the chaotic process of recovering pro-Japanese collaborators' property since the dissolution of the Pro-Japanese Property Investigation Committee in 2010. We must recover pro-Japanese property with a stronger stance than the shameless descendants of pro-Japanese collaborators," and argued, "If necessary, we should establish a permanent second Pro-Japanese Property Investigation Committee to recover every last piece of pro-Japanese property and establish historical justice."

Assemblyman Jung Chung-rae said, "Anti-national and traitorous history has been secretly active for 100 years, 50 years ago, and even now, changing the color of their clothes. We collectively call them indigenous pro-Japanese collaborators," and added, "France became a country of tolerance and a cultural and artistic powerhouse after thoroughly punishing national traitors. On Liberation Day, I reflect anew on the spirit of rooting out indigenous pro-Japanese collaborators and restoring the national spirit of France."

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