Hapcheon: Disfigured, shamed, and forgotten, Korean survivors of the Hiroshima bomb continue to face the challenges of pain and a lack of acknowledgment decades after the tragedy. On August 6, 1945, Lee Jung-soon, a young Korean girl, was on her way to school when the nuclear bomb fell over Hiroshima. Now 88, Lee recalls the chaos and trauma of that day, still grappling with the physical and emotional scars it left behind.
According to BBC, the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which hastened the end of World War Two, also deeply impacted the Korean population in Japan. Approximately 20% of the immediate victims were Koreans, many of whom had been forced into labor under Japanese colonial rule. An estimated 140,000 Koreans resided in Hiroshima at the time, and the survivors, along with their descendants, continue to endure the repercussions of that fateful day.
The lack of acknowledgment and responsibility from the countries involved adds to the survivors' plight. Shim Jin-tae, an 83-year-old survivor, expresses frustration over the absence of accountability from the United States, Japan, and Korea. Hapcheon, known as "Korea's Hiroshima," is home to many survivors like Shim and Lee, who still suffer from the long-term health effects of radiation exposure.
The Korean Atomic Bomb Victims Association highlights the disproportionate impact on Koreans, with a fatality rate of 57.1% compared to the overall rate of 33.7%. The aftermath saw Koreans undertaking dangerous cleanup work, exacerbating their exposure to radioactive fallout. A study by the Gyeonggi Welfare Foundation reveals that many survivors were left without medical care, deepening the tragedy.
The stigma associated with the survivors' disfigurement and illnesses led to their marginalization even in Korea. Despite the severe health issues faced by survivors and their descendants, there has been little official recognition or support. It was not until 2019 that the Korean government conducted a fact-finding report on the victims.
Efforts to gain acknowledgment have been slow and fraught with challenges. Recent visits by Hiroshima officials to Hapcheon have not included formal apologies, leaving many survivors feeling that their pain remains unrecognized. The lack of acknowledgment is compounded by the omission of Korea's colonial history and its atomic bomb victims from Japanese educational materials.
For survivors like Shim, the quest for recognition is about preserving memory and ensuring history does not repeat itself. The call for justice extends to the second and third generations, who also suffer from health issues linked to their ancestors' exposure. The struggle for acknowledgment continues, underscoring the need for a comprehensive and sincere reckoning with the past.