[The Editors' Verdict] Controversy Over the Preservation of 'Jopyeongchang' Buildings from Japanese Forced Mobilization

The photo above shows the Jo Byeongchang hospital building as it appeared in 1948. The red dotted line indicates the area presumed to have disappeared due to bombing during the Korean War.
[Photo by Norb Faye, a former US Forces Korea soldier, provided to Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Bupyeong US Military Base (Camp Market), located in the heart of Incheon city, was used as a Japanese Army weapons manufacturing factory (Jopyeongchang) during the Japanese colonial period in 1939. After liberation, it was occupied by the US Forces Korea, and for over 80 years, access by the general public was restricted. Following a Korea-US agreement in December 2019, Incheon City, which received the return of Camp Market, plans to transform the site into a park and return it to the citizens by 2028. The park will cover approximately 600,000㎡, combining the entire Camp Market area of 440,000㎡, including the D Zone to be returned this year, and about 160,000㎡ of surrounding areas.

However, as the soil within Camp Market has been confirmed to be contaminated with heavy metals and petroleum, the Ministry of National Defense is conducting phased cleanup operations. Only after these operations are thoroughly completed can the park construction begin. The issue is that during the soil contamination cleanup process, there remains ongoing controversy within the local community over whether some buildings within Camp Market should be demolished. In particular, the B Zone of Camp Market is extensively contaminated, including the substructures of buildings, making demolition unavoidable for cleanup. However, when the hospital building of Jopyeongchang was included among the demolition targets, historians and architectural experts strongly opposed it, arguing that facilities representing forced mobilization should not be demolished.

According to testimonies from laborers who were forcibly mobilized to Jopyeongchang, the hospital included departments such as internal medicine, surgery, otolaryngology, and dermatology, suggesting it was quite large. Although partially damaged during the Korean War, two long-shaped buildings still remain. Those advocating for preservation emphasize that in a reality where Japan denies its past history of forced mobilization, the Jopyeongchang-related relics should be preserved as evidence of that history.

Furthermore, there has been insufficient investigation of the entire Jopyeongchang area, including the D Zone to be returned this year, so starting demolition first has been criticized as problematic. The Cultural Heritage Administration also recommended preservation to Incheon City, stating that the building has high cultural value and historical significance, but this was not accepted.

As the local community's opinions remain sharply divided, the city formed the Camp Market Citizen Participation Committee. In March, the committee decided to thoroughly document the Jopyeongchang hospital building but proceed with its demolition. An environmental activist who participated in the committee at the time stated, "Considering legal responsibilities if cleanup is not implemented, extensive soil contamination, and the unstable condition of the building, it is reasonable to investigate and document the hospital building well and restore it later."

However, recently, the Cultural Heritage Administration sent an official letter to Incheon City and the Ministry of National Defense requesting a postponement of the demolition of the Jopyeongchang hospital building, reigniting the controversy. The Cultural Heritage Administration proposed conducting a comprehensive investigation of Camp Market and reviewing its overall value as cultural heritage, suggesting that demolition be withheld until the D Zone, which has not yet been returned, is surveyed. For Incheon City, this makes it inevitable to reconsider the demolition after consultations with related agencies and gathering opinions from the citizen committee.

The divided voices of citizens demanding either preservation or demolition of the building have resurfaced. One citizen recently petitioned the Blue House through a national petition, stating, "Do not demolish the Jopyeongchang hospital, a historical relic of forced labor under Japanese colonial rule, but preserve it as a historical heritage." On Incheon City's citizen petition board, there were also posts requesting, "Please preserve Jopyeongchang well to educate about our history and attract visitors."

On the other hand, some local residents have petitioned Incheon City to demolish the Jopyeongchang hospital building, questioning the need to keep remnants of Japanese colonial rule on land that has been reclaimed after a long time. There were also strong voices insisting that all buildings within Camp Market must be demolished to completely purify the highly toxic substances.

Nevertheless, among the eight Jopyeongchang facilities established by Japan, only one each on the mainland and in Incheon still retain their original traces, so the preservation value of Incheon Jopyeongchang’s history and architecture is by no means insignificant. More effort is needed to find ways to preserve existing facilities as much as possible while carrying out soil contamination cleanup. Who would not feel uncomfortable with the question of whether it is right for us, not Japan, to demolish buildings that prove the painful history of forced mobilization during the Japanese colonial period?

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