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Question:

There is a groundless rumor on the Internet that 40 percent of the Japanese soldiers who committed Nanjing Massacre were Koreans. Is it true?

Answer:

There are assertions in some China websites that a huge number of Koreans were engaged in Nanjing massacre with the themes like ''The history Chinese should never forget, Koreans and the Nanjing Massacre,'' ''Historical truth: Koreans who were more brutal than Japanese in Nanjing Massacre.'' They claim 40 percent of the Japanese troops who committed the massacre were Koreans and in particular the Korean members of the 15th Division led by Matsui Iwane drove the massacre, which Matsui testified during a Far East International Martial Court (Tokyo Trial). In a post-war trial by allied forces, 148 Koreans were convicted guilty, 23 of them were executed. Such rumor was exaggerated to the extent of setting the number of Korean troops at 1.6 million out of 2.5 million Japanese ones alongside a faked list of Korean officers who took part in the Nanjing massacre.

Falsehood of the rumors

First, Koreans began to be mobilized as Japanese troops from 1938 for army, 1943 for navy through a volunteer system. Conscription system was not implemented until 1944. Under the army volunteer system 17,364 Koreans were mobilized from 1938-1943 and the total number of Koreans mobilized until Japan's defeat amounted to 116,294 soldiers and 126,047 dependents, according to data of Japanese government. Wary of revolt in case of provision of weapons, Japan never formed military units led by Koreans and subordinated them under Japanese units. Given this background, it is a total nonsense to claim that 40 percent of the Japanese troops were Koreans and units composed of 30,000 Koreans committed the Nanjing Massacre (1937.12-1938.2).

Second, Koreans never got trials as criminals in connection with the Nanjing Massacre and at the Far East International Martial Court. A total of 148 Koreans were classified as BC-class war criminals, many of whom were captive supervisors (129) who were forcibly conscripted to Southeast Asia since August, 1942 and others were 16 interpreters and three soldiers. And the soldiers served in the Philippines without relations with China. Japan's supreme court also acknowledged the fact that the Korean captive supervisors were forcefully conscripted. (1999.12.20)

Third, despite citation of specific data and names, the contents of the sites are absolutely groundless. Though they say the Korean unit of the 15th Division led by Matsui Iwane drove the Nanjing Massacre, Matsui was commander of central China region without taking charge of the 15th Division. (The 15th Division was founded in 1905, abolished in 1925 and rearranged in April, 1938). 'The list of Korean officers taking part in the massacre' is the replica of the list of pro-Japanese figures published by the Institute for Research in Collaborationist Activities on Aug. 29, 2005, without any relations to the massacre.

The groundless rumor on the Internet that a huge number of Korean took part in Nanjing massacre is in line with Japanese right wing's massacre fiction. This is another history fabrication that arouses a great concern as it will undermine the relations between Korea and China by triggering anti-Korean sentiments among Chinese netizens.