Seok Kyung-deok "WSJ, Abe Shooting Compared to Ahn Jung-geun... Clear Lack of Historical Awareness"

Published 14 Jul.2022 15:32(KST)

"We Will Continue to Properly Promote Korean Culture and History in the U.S. Media"

Professor Seokyungdeok from Sungshin Women's University criticized the Wall Street Journal's report in the United States as a lack of historical awareness. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Woo-seok] The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in the United States mentioned the assassination of It? Hirobumi in 1909 in relation to the shooting incident of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, prompting Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women's University to criticize it as a "clear lack of historical awareness."

On the 14th, Professor Seo introduced the WSJ article titled "The Shooting of Shinzo Abe Reminds Japan of Its Prewar Political Violence History," which was reported on the 8th, on his Instagram.

The article stated, "It? Hirobumi, one of Japan's most influential and longest-serving prime ministers, was assassinated at a train station in northeastern China in 1909. The assassin was a Korean nationalist who opposed Japan's colonization of the Korean Peninsula."

Regarding this, Professor Seo pointed out, "The WSJ's use of An Jung-geun's 'Harbin Incident' as an example in this article is a clear 'lack of historical awareness.' While other incidents were acts of political violence within Japan, An Jung-geun's shooting of It? Hirobumi was part of the 'independence movement.'"

He added, "I think a request for correction should be made to the Wall Street Journal because readers worldwide could misunderstand history due to this article."

He also mentioned that during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics opening ceremony, a commentator on the American NBC broadcast caused controversy by seemingly defending Japan's colonial rule over Korea, which led to an official apology.