prof. Kangin historiatulkinnoista
Puhuin luennolla viime aikoina esiin tulleiden historiatulkintojen yhtenä (äärimmäisenä) esimerkkinä “professori Kangista”, joka siis on nimeltään Kang Jeong-koo (Kang Chông-gu), sosiologian prof. Dongguk-yliopistossa.
Tässä muutama linkki ei Kangin omiin kirjoituksiin (niitä ei englanniksi löytyne) vaan raportointiin hänen sanomisistaan. Chosun Ilbon sivustolle on käännetty englanniksi asiasta useita juttuja:
The North Korean regime seems to have gained in self-confidence regarding its relations with South Korea. A recent squabble over taking down a statue of General Douglas MacArthur, a hero of the Korean War to some, and a remark by Prof. Kang Jeong-koo of Dongguk University that the Korean War was fought for “unification” send a signal the National Liberation forces, hibernating since their suppression by South Korea’s anti-Communist forces, are emerging above ground. […]
Dongguk University’s sociology professor Kang Jeong-koo, who set off controversy when he referred to the Korean War as North Korea’s war of unification, is in hot water again for suggesting that South Korea should have been allowed to embrace communism after its emancipation from Japan.
[…]
An academic who called the Korean War “North Korea’s war of unification” in an online column in July was helping police with their enquiries on Friday. The questioning of Dongguk University sociologist Kang Jeong-koo provoked simultaneous demonstrations from progressive and conservative civic groups outside the security branch of the Seoul Metropolitan Police in Jongno-gu.
Hankyoreh-lehden kanta on jo aivan toinen:
All you have to do is read Kang’s paper delivered at a national professors organization panel to see that the whole affair originates in ignorance and “labeling.” Kang has called the Korean War a “war of reunification” since 2000 and it differs from the “war of national liberation” that is North Korea’s official characterization. Key to his whole argument is that if you look at the North’s motives, since it started the war, it was a war to unite the peninsula, and that according to international law should be considered a “civil war” and not a “war of aggression.” To back that up he cites a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council’s Resolution 82. He even said that it is “still could have been a war of reunification even if South Korea’s official definition is that it was a war of aggression.” Calling that a “pro-North” statement is leftover McCarthyist madness.
Ideologisista keskusteluista ja kiistoista yleisemmin, Kangin tapaus mukaanlukien:
Kang’s remark in his column on an Internet news media site in July triggered immediate protests from conservative groups while accusing him of worshipping North Korea. They claimed what Kang said was similar to North Korean propaganda.
[…]
Conservative civic groups have denounced the government for not expressing its official position on the conflicts over a statue of U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur in Inchon, west of Seoul. Anti-U.S. demonstrators have clashed with riot police, demanding the removal of the statue, which they claim is an impediment to inter-Korean reconciliation and unification efforts.