"Why Can't the Government Respond?" Yoo Seung-min Angered by Baidu's 'Joseonjok' Label for Yoon Dong-ju

Yoo Seung-min "We Must Speak Up to China"
Chinese Baidu Labels Poet Yun Dong-ju as 'Chinese Nationality Joseonjok'

Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min urged the government to respond to the Chinese online encyclopedia site 'Baidu' labeling poet Yun Dong-ju as a 'Joseonjok' on the 16th.

In a post on his Facebook that day, former lawmaker Yoo pointed out, "The Chinese site Baidu is incorrectly listing the nationality of poet Yun Dong-ju, whom our people love and respect, as 'China' and his ethnicity as 'Joseonjok'."

He continued, "Baidu is also incorrectly listing the nationality and ethnicity of independence activists Yun Bong-gil and Lee Bong-chang as 'China' and 'Joseonjok,'" adding, "Recently, Chinese media also distorted kimchi and hanbok as Chinese culture."

He raised his voice, saying, "What exactly are our Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassy in China doing? China is distorting our history and culture and claiming it as their own, so why can't our government respond strongly?"

Former lawmaker Yoo also emphasized, "We must speak up to China," and urged, "I call on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassy in China to immediately step up and correct these issues."

The nationality of poet Yun Dong-ju is incorrectly listed as "Chinese" and his ethnicity as "Joseonjok" on the Chinese online encyclopedia site "Baidu." Photo by Seokyungdeok, Professor at Sungshin Women's University, Facebook.

Currently, Baidu lists poet Yun Dong-ju's nationality as 'China' (中國) and ethnicity as 'Joseonjok' (朝鮮族). It also introduces independence activists Lee Bong-chang and Yun Bong-gil's nationality as 'Joseon' (朝鮮) and ethnicity as 'Joseonjok.'

Additionally, Baidu correctly lists the nationality of Yu Gwan-sun, Kim Gu, Ahn Chang-ho, Lee Hoe-young, and Hong Beom-do as 'Korea,' but does not specify their ethnicity. Notably, Shin Kyu-sik had no nationality entry, and Lee Dong-nyeong had neither nationality nor ethnicity entries.

Not only Baidu, but the Chinese-language version of the internet encyclopedia 'Wikipedia' also introduces historical figures such as King Sejong and Kim Gu, as well as Hallyu stars like Kim Yuna and Lee Young-ae, as 'Joseonjok.'

Furthermore, the entrance marker at Yun Dong-ju's birthplace in Longjing village, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin Province, China, reportedly reads "Chinese Joseonjok patriotic poet."

Regarding this, Professor Seo Kyung-deok of Sungshin Women's University said, "I will fight to the end against China's distortion of history," adding, "The truth always wins."

Professor Seo stated on his Facebook that "Since starting protests against Baidu on December 30 last year, coinciding with poet Yun Dong-ju's birthday, there has been no change even by today (February 16), the anniversary of his death, so I have made a renewed request for correction," emphasizing, "Instead of only being angry about China's distortion of history, it is more important to accurately inform what is wrong so that proper corrections can be made."

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