Comments on: The Killing Fields Remain

By: Antti

Antti — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:49:16 +0000

These are not really new findings, as for example the so-called “Bodoyeonmaeng Affair” was made public as soon as the political control was liberalized at the turn of the 1990s, even if officially nominated bodies have begun to treat these things only lately. (I’m reading a Hankyoreh story on this from June 1990 via KINDS).

Bodoyeonmaeng was an association for so-called converted communists founded in 1949. It was supposed to “protect and guide” (bodo 保導) them to live as proper ROK citizens, but as was told in the IHT story, they were rounded up after the outbreak of the war and executed en masse.

By: cmm

cmm — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:23:38 +0000

@14
And here we have our highly moral Christian cheering on the murder of innocent village people caught up in war. …and he’s cheering on the slaughter because of differences in political ideology. Can I get an amen?

“Freedom is not free.” Not only is it a catchy jingo that instantly justifies every single incidence of “collateral damage,” but it also sounds like the title of a potential country music chart-topper (just substitute “ain’t” in for “is not”).

But here’s a question for you baduk, was killing the children necessary? Please justify this without justifying mateomiguel’s comment #17.

By: Eye4Insanity

Eye4Insanity — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 05:45:20 +0000

“The fact that these bones have remained abandoned so long and so close to where we live means that our society is still at its barbarian stage,”

Well said.

By: mateomiguel

mateomiguel — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 05:36:25 +0000

Baduk, you choose the unpopular and retarded position on every issue. You do this for no reason that I can tell. You are like a fountain of stupid.

By: R. Elgin

R. Elgin — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 05:16:04 +0000

Perhaps this means that this a beginning towards a level-headed approach to Korean history rather than shameful polemics that is so often engaged in.

It is also very, very strange to me that one of the best journalists of Korean extraction writes in English for the New York Times rather than a Korean newspaper. Perhaps there is a story in this as well but it is beyond my telling.

By: nicecuppatea

nicecuppatea — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 05:07:00 +0000

Although Roh appears to as unpopular on this site as he is in any other given place, I think the man deserves full credit for attempting to get the body-politic come to terms with some of these historical issues. I believe the government is also soon to open a museum on Jeju to commemorate those massacred there in a scorched-earth policy that saw tens of thousands of victims massacred, who were far from agents of COMINTERN or “bbalgengi”but merely deeply unhappy at American employment of police employed by the Japanese etc, and saw themselves as slipping from one form of colonial occupation to another.
Here’s to a round of applause for Mr Roh, for his sterling work on truth and reconciliation, attempts at regional development and attempts to overcome the regionalism and mccarthyism that have driven Korean politics for too long. Even if most of those attempts have been largely neutered. Who’s with me?! Erm…? Why’s it gone so quiet?

By: baduk

baduk — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 05:04:39 +0000

Truth and Reconciliation Commission? Fucking Commies, that is what they are.

Hey, these people joined Communists.

And, if these soldiers didn’t do their job (killing Commies), entire Korea would be under Kim Jongil.

Freedom is not free. You have to kill to get it and keep it.

Or, Kim Jongil’s kind will have your wife, kids and your bank account.

Killing is necessary.

By: Smee

Smee — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 04:42:59 +0000

Excellent point, hoju_saram (#11)

I don’t know how much teeth this commission has, as they’re not out there to prosecute anyone, but rather just to investigate. I hope the process is enlightening for some. However, it’s all just politics, isn’t it, and that doesn’t make me comfortable. I cringe when I’m reminded that the Korean war crminals were cleared of responsibility, and each time the word “Japanese collaborator” comes up it used to discredit current political enemies, not to provide any healthy self-reflection.

By: hoju_saram

hoju_saram — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 03:21:49 +0000

Here’s that heartrending link:

http://hani.co.kr/arti/english.....96269.html

I just find it hand to accept that Koreans can so readily do the handwringing thing (and I think its a good idea, BTW) for their fellow Koreans, but can’t for the pacific pows.

By: hoju_saram

hoju_saram — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 03:15:08 +0000

Has anyone else noticed that the investigation into the killing of North Koreans is being charged to a body called the “Truth and Reconciliation Commision” but the investigation which exonerated Koreans of killing and torturing allied soldiers in WW2 was called the “Truth Commission on Forced Mobilization under the Japanese Imperialism”?

In fairness, there is a more pressing need to “reconcile” with the North, given the current ongoing climate of animosity on the peninsula, and also taking into account the friendship these days between the former allies and the ROK, but still…

Here is the Hanky’s heartrending story of several poor camp guards - volunteers, mind you, and not mobilized - who still struggle with the fact that their honor has been hurt to this very day.

But what about their victims? Its well documented that Koreans developed a particular reputation for brutality amoung the pows who suffered under them. Not all of them of course. But I recall a story of an allied soldier who saw his mates executed by a Korean guard who lined them up and bayoneted them through their anus’. There are many other testimonies, see here:

http://forum.axishistory.com/v.....p?t=120130

(also a link back the the ‘Hole)

Any thoughts?