Wikipedia

National Memorial Museum of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Occupation

The National Memorial Museum of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Occupation (FoMo; Korean: 국립일제강제동원역사관; Hanja: 國立日帝强制動員歷史館) is a national history museum in Busan, South Korea. It first opened on December 10, 2015.[1]

National Memorial Museum of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Occupation
Museum exterior in 2018
Museum exterior (2018)
Map
EstablishedDecember 10, 2015 (2015-12-10)
Location48532, 100, Honggok-ro, 320beon-gil, Nam District, Busan, South Korea
Coordinates35°07′30″N 129°05′32″E / 35.124972°N 129.092333°E / 35.124972; 129.092333
TypeNational history museum
DirectorPark Cheolgyu
Public transit accessDaeyeon station, then bus
Websitewww.fomo.or.kr/museum/eng/Main.do (in English)
Korean name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationGungnim Ilje Gangje Dongwon Yeoksa Gwan
McCune–ReischauerKungnim Ilche Kangje Tongwŏn Yŏksa Kwan

It covers the Japanese colonial period (1910–1945), in particular when Koreans were forced to perform labor and moved to other places to support Japan.[2] The museum was founded by the South Korean Ministry of the Interior and Safety,[3] although jurisdiction was transferred to the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs in 2016.[4]

As of 2023, admission into the museum is free of charge.[4] Its director is Park Cheolgyu.[5]

History

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In 2017, Jikai Taketomi, a Japanese man who runs a private war archive in Japan, donated 30 items from his collection to the museum, and offered his apologies for Japan's role in World War II.[6]

In 2018, a bronze statue that had been illegally erected in protest in front of the Japanese Consulate General in Busan was moved to the museum, despite pushback from the protestors who installed it.[7]

In October 2019, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama visited the museum. Hatoyama said after the visit:[8][9]

I hope that Japanese people visit this place, and humbly face the historic truth... I deeply apologize for the fact that 8 million of about 20 million Joseon (Korean) people at the time were forcefully mobilized as military personnel, civilians attached to the military, and forced laborers, and many lost lives... Japanese people should learn many things from history like this, and should open up the future with a sense of responsibility as perpetrators.

References

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  1. ^ "History and MI > Introduction of the History Hall > National Memorial Museum of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Occupation". www.fomo.or.kr. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  2. ^ "National Memorial Museum of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Occupation embraces the painful history". www.visitbusan.net. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  3. ^ 대한민국 국회 (2017-07-26). "대일항쟁기 강제동원 피해조사 및 국외강제동원 희생자 등 지원에 관한 특별법 제37조". 국가법령정보센터. 대한민국 법제처. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
  4. ^ a b "Plan Your Visit > Visitor Information > National Memorial Museum of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Occupation". www.fomo.or.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  5. ^ "Greetings > Introduction of the History Hall > National Memorial Museum of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Occupation". www.fomo.or.kr. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  6. ^ He-rim, Jo (2017-08-08). "Japanese donates photo of wartime sex slave to South Korean museum". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  7. ^ "South Korean local gov't removes forced laborer statue from Busan street". Kyodo News+. May 31, 2018. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  8. ^ "Ex-Japanese PM visits history museum on Korean slave laborers". The Dong-a Ilbo. October 14, 2019. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  9. ^ Yoon-seung, Kang (2019-10-12). "Former Japanese PM pays respects to Korean victims of forced labor". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
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