There are Atomic Bomb Victims in Korea. Yes there are

Kwak Kihoon

1.  Why are there atomic bomb victims in Korea?

Japanese imperialists forcefully conscripted 2,360,000 Koreans during the colonial period to Japan and forced them to enter the Pacific War. Therefore, there were 50,000 Koreans in the militarized city of Hiroshima and 20,000 in Nagasaki.  In sum, there were 70,000 Koreans in those two cities and they also suffered from the atomic bomb in 1945.
 

Among those victims, 40,000 people passed away in 1945, and the rest of Koreans, approximately 23,000 survivors came back to Korea.  Other 7,000 victims remained to live in Japan. Thus among the whole 700,000 atomic bomb victims, 70,000 victims, accounted for about 10% of the total, were Korean atomic bomb victims.
 

Those Koreans have suffered from the forcible mobilization under the Japanese colonialism, calamitous atomic bomb, and negligence from both the Japanese and Korean government for 60 years. There are only 2,300 victims left in Korea, which account for 10% of the total returnee, and the rest of 90% of the returnee have deceased.  The Japanese government has insisted that Korean atomic bomb victims were compensated by the 1965 Japan-Korea Basic Agreement, and the Korean government has said that the Korean victims have to appeal to the Japanese government since they were bombed in the Japanese territory.

2.  We have continuously strived against Japanese government  

The first struggle for Japanese judicature started in 1972 by Son Jindoo, who smuggled himself into Japan.  He went before the Supreme Court in 1978, where he won his case.  However, the victory was tarnished by a former Ministry of Health and Welfare Bureau Notification (No. 402) that "this Techo(A-bomb victim certificates, Hibakusha Techo) becomes invalid when the holder leaves Japan." Thereafter for the last 28 years the Japanese government has never admitted the A-bomb victims residing outside Japan as certified atomic bomb victims.

The second trial against the Japanese government started in 1998.  The final judgment in January 19, 2005 declared the Notification (No. 204) illegal, and ordered the payment of the consolation money to all forty appellants.

3.  There are still many victims not protected by the Atomic Bomb Victims Relief Law

Still, the Korean victims must go to Japan to attain the certificate, and the provisions of the issuing process are too complicated.  Thus for the old and weak Korean victims, it is very difficult to attain the certificate, and in fact, more than 700 victims could not gain the legal protection. We, the Association for the Korean Atomic Bomb Victims are striving hard in helping those victims now.

4.  What we are appealing for is not only a fair compensation but also the Japanese government’s sincere apology to the Korean victims, and that it has to regret its responsibility for provoking the cruel war.  Additionally, as one of the atomic bomb victim, I request that we must not repeat the past, and at the same time, we must stop the production of more nuclear arms. We appeal for your cooperation as we devote ourselves to establish a peaceful world without nuclear arms.

Association for the Korean Atomic Bomb Victims     
April 21, 2005