뉴스레터

The plaintiffs who are oral arguments in the court of appeals on the military and civilian personnel in Korea (2007. 9. 25)

Ko In-hyeong's Statement, the Son of Ko Mong-chan

“The plaintiff’s father, Ko Mong-chann, was born on June 22, 1920; he was forced into the Army in March 1942 and died in New Guinea in September 1944. He was improperly enshrined inside the Tokyo War Shrine in April 1959 without notice to his bereaved family.” (2009. 1. 10.)

My father was born on June 22, 1920, as the eldest son of two boys and three girls in Seongsan-eup, Jeju-gun, Jeollanam-do. I often heard stories about my father from my aunt. “Your father was a good-looking, wise, and good man, and he had a good reputation in the village.” My family was farming when my father was drafted. And the family was so poor that my father was actually playing the role of head of household. My father married my mother and had three sons. And my father was drafted in March 1942 or April 1942 when I was two years old. My father and mother sometimes exchanged letters, and I heard that my father sent a military postal savings account. In August 1945, Joseon was liberated from Japanese colonial rule. But over time, my father did not contact us, and we waited, but my father did not come home.

In 1969, my family asked the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan through a head of a town to confirm that my father died on the battlefield, and submitted his father's notice of death to the Korean government. It was more than 20 years after he was drafted. We went directly to the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan, and we were disappointed to hear the answer, "We can not find your father's ashes at present." I waited more than anyone for my father's return. Of course, I once gave up on his return. But when I confirmed that my father was dead, I was saddened. My mother and brother died early, so I lived alone. I was lonely. I missed my father.

I experienced a difficult time economically and mentally, and I gave birth and nurtured my children, so my heart for my parents grew bigger. I am heartbroken when I think of my father who was forced to be conscripted by Japanese imperialism, and my mother who died in a turbulent life for us without my husband. So, I thought it was filial piety to clarify the truth about my father's death. And a few years ago, I found a list of military and civilian personnel, and a list of draftees in the National Archives and Records Service(now the National Archives of Korea). The document stated that my father served in the 78th Regiment of Infantry, and died on September 3, 1944, of a disease during the war in eastern New Guinea.

But when I saw the seal ‘Hapsaje’, which means that my father is enshrine in TWS, I was shocked. My father did not devote his life to the Emperor of Japan, but was forced to mobilize by coercion and lost his life. As a child, I was distressed when I heard my friend say, 'Your father was a Japanese soldier?' It is very disgraceful that my father was enshrined in TWS. It is very unusual for the Japanese government to enshrine someone without notifying the bereaved family, without discussing it. It's too humiliating and unfair. My father was enshrined in TWS, which means he volunteered to serve as a Japanese soldier, and become a war criminal. And someone may also misunderstand that I asked the Japanese government to shrine my father into TWS. This is unbearable as a bereaved family.

The Japanese government did not compensate or help or care for the bereaved families of those who were killed in the war. They are not paying the military postal savings they forced the victim to do. Nevertheless, they did not receive the consent of the bereaved family, and without giving any notice to the bereaved family, they improperly enshrined those who were sacrificed in the war to TWS. I can’t forgive the Japanese government as a bereaved family. And TWS also affirms colonial rule over Korea. The meaning of enshrine in TWS, which affirms colonial rule, is to kill the dead again by Japanese ambition. The Japanese government should reflect on the grim history will not be repeated twice, and sincerely apologize to the bereaved family of the victim. I strongly demand that the name of the improperly enshrined victim be removed.

My father didn't volunteer to join the war. He died unfortunately on the battlefield. In addition, Korea was independent from colonial rule of the Japanese imperialists. My father is not Japanese, but Korean. So it should be canceled that he was enshrined in TWS. I am the only bereaved family member of my father. I strongly oppose leaving my father's name on "Youngsaebu"(a list of people who are served by the Japanese as gods). But what they want to write my father's name on the list is that TWS does not recognize Korea's independence and still thinks of Korea as their colony?

If my father's improperly enshrined in TWS is cancelled, I would like to bring my family's soul, including my father and mother, together. Perform an exorcism to meet the soul of my father and mother, and I hold a memorial ceremony for them. Memorial ceremony for parents is meaningless now. Because TWS has taken my father prisoner, his soul is not free to come. I am upset that I have not been able to have a complete memorial ceremony for my parents so far. If I die without achieving it, my children will continue this fight against TWS.