It has been learned that the two men most synonymous with collaboration with Japanese imperialism, Yi Wan Yong and Song Byeong Jun, owned as much as 940,000 pyeong in land just in Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces during the colonial period. Other collaborators have been found to have exercised rights on smaller portions of land. Such are the results of a recent review of historical documents by the Institute for Research of Collaborationist Activities. Most of the land in question is today owned by the state or private individuals. But legal measures need to be taken in a hurry, however, because the descendents of those collaborators could push their way through the loopholes in the current laws and file lawsuits to reclaim the property. Indeed, since 1990 there have been 30 such lawsuits, and as seen in the case of Yi's descendents, there are times when they win those lawsuits. There quickly needs to be legislation enacted that will prevent collaborators from claiming their assets.
It is a tragedy for Korean history that land owned by collaborators has to be a problem 60 years after Liberation from Japanese imperialism. It shows you again the results of not fully engaging in reflection and judgment about collaboration. Land was one of collaborators' main financial foundations, and a final end must be put to controversy over their claims to it. There has to be a fundamental way to prevent their descendents from shamelessly trying to reclaim their ancestors' land, all the more so because a considerable amount of the land formerly in their ownership was acquired through unjust means, such as payment for their collaboration or through use of positions they were in as collaborators. It was not acquired though legitimate means. Perhaps the land should be used to support the descendents of individuals who are officially recognized for their service to the cause of Liberation (dongjip yugong ja) and for the study of collaborationist activities.
Coincidentally, several members of the National Assembly are pushing to enact legislation that would deal with the problem. Legislators should work together to make sure the legislation moves in the right direction as quickly as possible. Ahead of that, the government needs to commence on a fact-finding study of land around the country once owned by pro-Japanese collaborators.
The Hankyoreh, 10 January 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Collaborationist 'Shade' on the Land |
