Unveiling the Truth: Hanshin University Professor Shatters Myths Surrounding the 4/3 Incident
Professor at Hanshin University Sparks Outrage with Comments on Comfort Women and Historical Incidents
A sociology professor at Hanshin University has drawn criticism for making offensive comments about Japanese military comfort women victims and distorting historical facts during lectures.
According to MBC’s coverage, Professor Lee made distorted claims about the April 3 Jeju Incident and the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.
Distorted Claims about Historical Incidents
Professor Lee stated that the April 3 incident in Jeju was a “communist revolution” and a “communist uprising,” implying the involvement of external forces such as North Korea.
“This is completely a communist revolution, a communist uprising, to be precise, this is a case where a communist uprising starts and civilians are massacred in the process…”
He also made similar claims about the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, suggesting that there was external intervention.
”There is a reserve forces weapons depot. It was all wiped out at the beginning. There couldn’t have been any other intervention.”
Offensive Comments about Comfort Women
Professor Lee also made damaging comments about the casualties of Japanese military comfort women, stating that there is not much evidence that they were forcibly conscripted.
“In fact, there is not much evidence that the comfort women were forcibly conscripted. When they were sold, their fathers or uncles sold them all and earned a living. We should curse those people.”
He further stated that the comfort women were not taken by force, but returned after earning money.
Criticism and Response
An anonymous poster condemning Professor Lee’s remarks was posted at the school, with a student expressing disappointment and hoping for an apology.
“This was clearly a minor crime and I don’t think that’s something a professor should say, so I hope he apologizes not to the students but to the grandmothers who were victims.”
Experts and organizations, including the Jeju April 3 Peace Foundation and the May 18 Memorial Foundation, also criticized Professor Lee’s comments as a clear distortion of history.
Professor Lee explained that his comments were meant to introduce a non-mainstream perspective, and Hanshin University is investigating the facts.
This is Jeong Hansol from MBC News.
