Jung Jung-rae: "Lee Young-hoon is a new type of traitor... Anyone who studies in Japan automatically becomes pro-Japanese"

Remarks at the '50th Anniversary of Literary Debut Press Conference'
"No Future for the Country Without Punishing Pro-Japanese Collaborators"
Also Advocates for the Revival of the Anti-Japanese Special Committee

Writer Jo Jung-rae / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Author Jo Jung-rae (77) rebutted Lee Young-hoon, chairman of the Lee Seung-man Academy, who criticized his novel 'Arirang' on the grounds that it "does not align with historical facts," saying, "Everything he says is a lie."

At a "50th Anniversary of Literary Debut Press Conference" held on the 12th at the Korea Press Center in Sejongno, Jung-gu, Seoul, Jo claimed, "Lee Young-hoon is insulting my book; he is a new type of traitor and a national betrayer."

Earlier, in 2007, Lee had criticized Jo's novel Arirang in a paper contributed to the quarterly journal 'Sidaejeongsin' (Spirit of the Age), stating that when analyzed as a "historical text," it was "unqualified and inadequate." At that time, Lee described the novel as "filled with a kind of madness, a madness opposite to the madness of massacre," pointing out that most of the chronological facts presented in the novel were far from actual facts.

In response, Jo argued, "The historical materials I wrote are objective. They are clear materials centered on those published by the National Institute of Korean History and books written by people with progressive consciousness."

He added, "I was accused of violating the National Security Act over 500 times for my novel 'Taebaek Mountain Range' and was investigated for 11 years before being completely cleared of charges. Because of that experience, I conducted even more thorough research when writing 'Arirang,'" he emphasized.

On the same day, Jo also stressed the importance of "clearing out pro-Japanese collaborators." He said, "The Anti-People's Committee must be revived to correct distorted history for the sake of national spirit. If all pro-Japanese collaborators are not punished, this country has no future."

He continued, "Those called 'native Japanese collaborators'?Koreans who studied in Japan?automatically become pro-Japanese collaborators and national betrayers upon returning from Japan. There is a movement to enact laws to punish those who side with Japan's crimes and distort history. As the author of 'Arirang,' I intend to actively participate," he added.

Meanwhile, Jo made his literary debut in 1970 through 'Hyundae Munhak' (Modern Literature). He became well-known to the public by writing the epic trilogy 'Taebaek Mountain Range,' 'Arirang,' and 'Hangang.'

Among these, Arirang depicts the sorrows of farmers who suffered under Japanese exploitation and forced labor from the late Joseon period to liberation, focusing on vast spatial backgrounds ranging from the Gimje Plain in Jeonbuk to Hawaiian sugarcane plantations, Russia, and Central Asia.

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