[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Amid controversy over Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung's remark about the 'U.S. occupation forces,' the Liberation Association on the 5th defended him, stating, "Governor Lee Jae-myung's words are a historical truth without a single error."
On the same day, the Liberation Association issued a press release saying, "(The U.S. military's) proclamation was very coercive. There was not a single word of congratulations on liberation, and it was filled with coercive expressions that could cause discomfort to our people, such as 'severe punishment will be enforced,'" expressing this view.
The Liberation Association pointed out, "MacArthur clearly emphasized in the proclamation that he himself was the occupying force," and added, "Any proper citizen should feel discomfort at MacArthur's proclamation that openly declared himself as the occupying force."
They continued, "MacArthur forcibly disbanded the National Foundation Preparatory Committee led by Lyuh Woon-hyung immediately after the U.S. military government was established and also forced the dissolution of the Provisional Government. Furthermore, pro-Japanese collaborators were appointed to important positions," emphasizing, "Governor Lee Jae-myung's statement that the pro-Japanese faction 'collaborated with the U.S. occupation forces to maintain the ruling system at that time' is a historical truth without a single error."
They added, "The most important quality a Korean politician should have is historical consciousness. Especially, politicians who lack reflection on unresolved pro-Japanese issues and overcoming national division should disappear from this land," and said, "In that regard, the politicians with the strongest historical consciousness since Baekbeom Kim Gu are Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun."
Earlier, on the 1st, Governor Lee visited the Yi Yuksa Culture Center in Andong, Gyeongbuk, and said, "The Republic of Korea is somewhat different from other countries in the process of government establishment. We failed to clear out pro-Japanese collaborators, and the pro-Japanese forces collaborated with the U.S. occupation forces to effectively maintain the ruling system as it was," adding, "The country did not start cleanly."
In response, former Prosecutor General and leading opposition presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl criticized, "The absurd and outrageous remark that 'the U.S. military is the occupying force, and the Soviet military is the liberating force' was also echoed by the ruling party's next leading candidate, Governor Lee Jae-myung," calling it "an unacceptable distortion of history."
As the controversy intensified, Governor Lee's campaign spokespersons released a statement on the 3rd, saying, "He was referring to events that occurred in the liberation period before the establishment of the Republic of Korea government on August 15, 1948," and argued, "Since the victorious United States disarmed Japan and militarily controlled its area of governance, the term 'occupation' is appropriate. The statement pointed out the reality that pro-Japanese remnants were not properly purged based on historical facts, and it is a deliberate distortion to interpret it otherwise."
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