Seoul (Fides Service) - To build bridges of reconciliation between the people of Korea and Japan the local Churches in these two Asian countries are about to publish a new History of Korea and Japan. During a recent plenary meeting the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea approved the text which, in agreement with the Japanese Bishops, will be published simultaneously in Japan and Korea as a sign of friendship between the two nations.
The History Book produced by the Korean Pastoral Institute affiliated to the Korean Bishops’ Conference deals with questions of history and culture of these two neighbour countries and it intends to give young Koreans and Japanese correct discernment to understand modern history and build better reciprocal relations.
The book is the fruit of several meetings in Nagasaki last Autumn between the Korean and Japanese Bishops. For the last nine years these two Bishops’ Conferences have held regular meetings. At the end of their last meeting the Bishops underlined the need to re-read history in the light of the truth and reconciliation. One of the main themes on the agenda was to reconsider with the help of history experts the events of World War II with criteria of truth and justice in view of authentic reconciliation.
The Bishops appreciated the atmosphere of cordiality and friendship and scheduled their next meeting for November this year in Seoul, in the hope that the meeting will further promote friendly relations between their countries.
Japan and Korea have long term disputes over events during the Japanese occupation of Korea in World War II. The Koreans deplore that fact that old history books make no mention of the atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers in Korea or the deportation of Koreans to work as slaves and about 200,000 “comfort women” for Japanese soldiers.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 29/3/2004 lines 31 words 331)