Gwangyang City Installs Condemnation Plaque at Pro-Japanese Figure Monument in Yudang Park

An Opportunity to Properly Record and Settle the History of the Japanese Colonial Period

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Gwangyang City announced on the 14th that it has completed the installation of condemnation plaques related to pro-Japanese figures within Yudang Park.

In February, the city held a Cultural Heritage Protection Committee meeting and installed condemnation plaques for two monuments related to pro-Japanese figures who collaborated in the national sovereignty infringement within Yudang Park. It was decided that the plaques would be installed based on objective historical materials that many people agree upon.

Since September of last year, the city has reportedly gone through a process of gathering various opinions on the "maintenance of controversial pro-Japanese monuments within Yudang Park" through advisory meetings of the City Administration Coordination Committee and council members' briefings.

The condemnation plaques explicitly state that these individuals were collaborators in Japan's infringement of Korean sovereignty. - Lee Geun-ho (1861?1923) was the elder brother of Lee Geun-taek, one of the Five Eulsa Traitors. In 1902, he served as the 5th Governor of Jeollanam-do and concurrently as a judge of the Jeollanam-do Court. A monument called ‘Gwanchalsa Igong Geunho Cheongdeok Aeminbi (觀察使李公根澔淸德愛民碑)’ was erected in his honor. However, after the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty, he was recognized for his role in leading Japan’s forced annexation of Korea and was awarded the title of Baron by the Japanese government.

Additionally, he is listed in the 『Report on the Investigation of Pro-Japanese and Anti-National Acts』 published by the Committee for the Investigation of Anti-National Acts during the Japanese Occupation.

- Jo Ye-seok (1861??) was appointed as the Governor of Gwangyang County under the Jeollanam-do Provincial Government in 1902, and a monument called ‘Haeng Gunsu Jo Hou Ye-seok Hyulmin Seonjeongbi (行郡守趙侯禮錫恤民善政碑)’ was erected in his honor. However, after the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty, he received the Japan-Korea Annexation Commemorative Medal awarded by the Japanese government to Korean officials involved in the forced annexation of Korea.

Jo Ye-seok is also listed in the 『Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Figures』 compiled by the Minjok Munje Research Institute, a nonprofit organization, in 2009.

Kim Bok-deok, Director of the Culture and Arts Division, said, “The condemnation plaques installed this time accurately state the historical facts about these individuals to widely inform citizens and visitors to Yudang Park of their pro-Japanese activities and to serve as a historical lesson.”