Kim Won-woong: "Pro-Japanese Collaborators Not Purged, Rhee Syngman Must Take Responsibility... Unacceptable Opposition from United Party"

United Future Party Criticizes Kim Won-woong Repeatedly: "Is South Korea a Country That Shouldn't Have Been Born?"

Kim Won-woong, President of the Liberation Association, is delivering 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 Kim Ga-yeon] Kim Won-woong, chairman of the Liberation Association, who advocated for "cleansing pro-Japanese collaborators" in his Liberation Day commemorative speech, stated regarding the controversy surrounding the speech, "I did not expect such strong backlash because the issue of cleansing pro-Japanese collaborators is not a matter of political parties or conservative versus progressive factions."

On the 17th, in an interview on JTBC Newsroom, Chairman Kim said, "The United Future Party has recently been trying to show various changes to the public, including paying respects at the May 18th Cemetery and incorporating the legacy of the provisional government into their platform. I never said anything specifically about the United Future Party," he added.

Regarding the amendment to the National Cemetery Act, which centers on relocating graves of anti-national figures, he said, "Out of 84 United Future Party district winners, 44 supported it, including Floor Leader Joo Ho-young. There are also members of the Democratic Party of Korea who did not support it. So, I believe this is not a partisan issue. I find it hard to accept that the United Future Party is interpreting this politically," he stated.

On his criticism of former President Syngman Rhee without using his title, he explained, "President Syngman Rhee issued a statement during the Constituent Assembly opposing the enactment of the Special Investigation Committee on Anti-National Acts law, which was aimed at pro-Japanese collaborators. When investigations into pro-Japanese collaborators began, he forcibly disbanded the committee through the police." He added, "Because the failure to cleanse pro-Japanese collaborators remains a source of social division and conflict in our country, I believe the primary culprit and the first person responsible for this conflict is Syngman Rhee."

Chairman Kim also released a video related to composer Ahn Eak-tai’s pro-Japanese and pro-Nazi activities, explaining, "Ahn Eak-tai composed a congratulatory piece for the 10th anniversary of Manchukuo’s founding. This was performed in Berlin with the cooperation of Nazi Germany."

He continued, "Ahn Eak-tai traveled across Europe, performing many concerts celebrating the alliance of German, Italian, and Japanese imperialist and Nazi regimes," and said, "I think the public needs to be more aware of this issue."

Regarding calls to replace the national anthem, he said, "Many countries have replaced their anthems according to the times. The United States has been preparing to replace its anthem since the Obama administration. However, there is no opposition to this within the U.S.," he added.

Kim Won-woong, President of the Liberation Association, is delivering 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

Earlier, on August 15th at the Liberation Day celebration held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul, Chairman Kim stated in his commemorative speech, "Our history’s mainstream should be recognized as independence, not pro-Japanese collaboration," and criticized, "Syngman Rhee violently disbanded the Special Investigation Committee on Anti-National Acts and colluded with pro-Japanese collaborators. South Korea has become the only country that has failed to properly cleanse national traitors, and this unresolved history continues to this day."

He claimed to have obtained materials related to Ahn Eak-tai’s pro-Japanese and pro-Nazi activities from the German government, saying, "Among them is footage of Ahn Eak-tai conducting a concert in Berlin celebrating the 10th anniversary of Manchukuo’s founding. South Korea is the only country in the world that has adopted a song composed by a national traitor as its national anthem."

He also urged the passage of the amendment to the National Cemetery Act, noting that 69 anti-national figures, including pro-Japanese soldiers, are buried at the National Cemetery.

Chairman Kim emphasized, "The failure to cleanse pro-Japanese collaborators is a chronic disease of Korean society, and embracing unrepentant national traitors is not national unity. Cleansing pro-Japanese collaborators is the command of the people."

The United Future Party immediately opposed Chairman Kim’s Liberation Day special remarks, accusing them of dividing the public. On the 17th, Choi Hyung-doo, the party’s floor spokesperson, said on CBS Radio’s 'Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show,' "If we follow Chairman Kim’s words, South Korea should never have been born," and countered, "Former President Kim Dae-jung needed former President Syngman Rhee to come before him."

Spokesperson Choi criticized, "If Syngman Rhee and Ahn Eak-tai are pro-Japanese collaborators, then the ruling party should immediately change the national anthem," and pointed out, "Simply calling someone a 'killable bastard' or demanding grave relocation just because they were soldiers or public officials during the Japanese colonial era is very divisive."

He also referenced Chairman Kim’s attendance at a seminar hosted by the Welcome Committee for Great Figures in 2018, which sparked controversy over 'praising Kim Jong-un,' and criticized, "If historical interpretation is that simple, then is Kim Jong-un a great figure?"

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