Korean Buddhists demand from Japan to apologize for war crimes.

13/8 Tass 90

PYONGYANG, August 13 (Itar-Tass) -- The Buddhists' organisations from
North and South Koreas said in a joint statement that Japan should
recognize the Annexation Treaty signed 100 years ago "a blatant
fabrication, should offer sincere apologies to the Korean people for
horrible war crimes during the occupation and should pay compensations."
The statement made public on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of
Korea's liberation contains the demand to Japan to abandon the plans to
revive the militaristic policy, as well as attempts "to whitewash and
justify" the history of the colonial occupation.
The Buddhists noted that Japan's claims for a small group of the
Takeshima islands in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) were absolutely
ungrounded. They also believe that Japan should bring back historical and
cultural valuables, which had been captured illegally from Korea during
the occupation.
The Japanese authorities forcibly took away more than 8.4 million
Koreans as slaves-labourers from 1910 to 1945. About a million of Koreans
died in captivity. Apart from Japan, the Koreans were expatriated to
China, Indonesia, Burma (officially Myanmar), Singapore, the Philippines
and other countries captured by the Japanese Imperial Army.
According to Korean historians, Japan framed up the Annexation Treaty
100 years ago, as well as other documents, which actually imposed Japan's
protectorate and resulted in the occupation of the whole Korean Peninsula
five years later. North Korean historians noted that the original treaty
text found several years before had neither the Seal of the Korean king
nor his signature. This fact proves that the treaty was fabricated and is
unlawful, contrary to Japan's allegations.
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