Seoul City and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Launch Full-Scale Efforts to Address Pro-Japanese and Anti-National Acts

Seoul City and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Report on Ordinance Promotion Plans for 'Eradication of Pro-Japanese and Anti-National Acts' at City Council Anti-Japanese Special Committee Meeting... Chairman Hong Seong-ryong, "Let's Make This the First Year for Eradicating Japanese Colonial Residues and Pro-Japanese Anti-National Acts"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The Seoul Metropolitan Council’s Special Committee on the Eradication of Pro-Japanese and Anti-National Acts (Chairman Hong Seong-ryong) held its 2nd meeting on the 5th and received a report from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the promotion plans and directions regarding the “Ordinance on Support for the Eradication of Pro-Japanese and Anti-National Acts” and the “Ordinance on the Restriction of Use of Symbols of Japanese Imperialism.”

The report was made in the context of receiving and reviewing detailed promotion plans from the city and the education office as the ordinances related to the eradication of pro-Japanese and anti-national acts are being fully implemented.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Culture Headquarters reported on measures to raise civic awareness to support the eradication of pro-Japanese and anti-national acts, including a survey of actual conditions related to figures, relics, records, and buildings associated with pro-Japanese and anti-national acts, content development, and publicity.

As a detailed promotion plan, a full survey service to identify the actual conditions of pro-Japanese and anti-national acts will be conducted from June to November this year, based on which an annual plan will be established in the first half of next year to prepare the basic direction, scope, and standards.

Subsequently, various policies to support the eradication of pro-Japanese and anti-national acts will be promoted, such as production, exhibition, and screening of patriotic and anti-Japanese related records, history lectures, and historical site experiences.

The Culture Headquarters also reported specific implementation plans, including the establishment and operation of related committees to effectively promote the “Ordinance on the Restriction of Public Use of Symbols of Japanese Imperialism.”

In the report from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the vision and goals of “forming a consensus within the educational community on the eradication of Japanese colonial remnants and fostering historical awareness” and “strengthening history education for future generations” were presented.

Detailed promotion plans included a full survey and data collection for the eradication of Japanese colonial remnants within schools, holding school-based discussions to raise awareness and form consensus, forming and operating a task force for the eradication of Japanese colonial remnants, promoting the use of Korean language in schools and educational terminology, and holding performance report meetings on the eradication of Japanese colonial remnants.

Immediately after the report, Chairman Hong Seong-ryong (Democratic Party, Songpa 3) stated, “We cannot move forward even an inch into the future without setting history and the national spirit right,” and emphasized, “The eradication of Japanese colonial remnants and pro-Japanese and anti-national acts is a timely task that must be resolved for the establishment of a correct historical perspective and national unity.”

He further pointed out, “The reckless remarks about past history that resurface like poisonous mushrooms whenever we almost forget are also because we have not properly eradicated Japanese colonial remnants and pro-Japanese and anti-national acts,” and stressed, “If our generation fails to completely eradicate these now, just as it was right after liberation, we will inevitably pass on unhappy history to the next generation again. Let us make this year the inaugural year for the eradication of Japanese colonial remnants and pro-Japanese and anti-national acts.”

Chairman Hong said, “For the eradication of Japanese colonial remnants and pro-Japanese and anti-national acts not to become a one-time or showy project, the will of the heads of organizations and all members is more important than anything else,” and urged, “It must never be perceived as a bothersome task, and not be left only to related departments such as the Culture Headquarters. All departments and members, including the Administrative Bureau, should unite with a historical sense of mission and take action.”

He also promised, “If budget and manpower are needed, I will provide full support at any time.”

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