On the 29th, Gunma Prefecture began working on administrative behalf to remove a memorial monument for Korean workers that was erected in a prefectural park in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, on behalf of the citizen group that set it up.
Gunma Prefecture has begun work to remove a memorial monument for Korean workers who were mobilized during the war, located on the grounds of Gunma no Mori, a prefectural park in Takasaki City.
In 2004, a civic group in Maebashi City obtained permission from the prefecture on the condition that it not hold any political events. In 2014, the renewal of the installation permit was not approved due to such comments.
The prefecture and citizen groups have been fighting in court over this punishment, but a year ago, a ruling was finalized that the prefecture's punishment was legal.
In response to this, the prefecture had asked civic groups to remove the monument by December of last year, but since they did not respond, on the 29th, the prefecture began acting on behalf of the civic group to remove the monument.
The prefecture plans to close the park and complete the removal work by the 11th of next month, and will bill citizen groups for the construction costs, approximately 30 million yen.
At a press conference on the 25th of this month, Governor Yamamoto said, ``Up until now, we have carefully negotiated and made adjustments with citizen groups, but we have not been able to obtain their understanding, so we would like to respond solemnly based on the outcome of the trial.'' I'm talking to you.
Citizen group: ``Historical facts will not disappear''
In response to the monument's removal, a civic group said, ``Even if the monument is removed, the historical fact that Koreans were mobilized for labor during the war will not disappear, and our spirit and ideas will be crushed by power.'' ``I would like to continue the activities that I have been doing thus far.''