Gunma Prefecture will notify the removal of ”Korean Memorial Monument” from 29th = South Korean report

Starting from the 29th, Gunma Prefecture will remove the memorial monument for Korean workers in Gunma no Mori, a prefectural park. According to Kyodo News, on the 23rd, the local citizen group that had been managing this monument held a press conference and
Ma Prefecture announced that it has notified the group that it plans to charge the group approximately 30 million yen in expenses after the removal is completed by administrative agency by February 11.
This memorial monument was built by local residents to pass on to future generations the fact of the forced mobilization of Koreans during Japan's colonial era.
It was set up in a prefectural park in 2004 for this purpose. On the front of the monument, the phrase ``Remembrance, Reflection, and Friendship'' is written in Korean, Japanese, and English. On the back is ``Once upon a time.
The inscription reads, "We deeply remember the historical fact that the country caused great damage and suffering to the Korean people, we sincerely regret it, and we express our determination never to repeat this mistake again."
Citizens' groups have held a memorial service in front of this monument every year, but in 2012, far-right groups took issue with the fact that participants in the event referred to "forced recruitment" and demanded its removal.
there was. In response, Gunma Prefecture refused to renew the installation permit in 2014, and a citizen's group did not comply and filed a lawsuit, but in 2022 the Supreme Court ruled that it was legal for the local government to take action.
On the other hand, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on the same day regarding the removal of the memorial, ``We hope that this matter will be resolved in a way that does not disrupt the friendly relations between our two countries.''