[Essay] Don't Look Back in Reverence: Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the April 3rd Jeju Uprising / Kim Shi-jong
The Quarterly Changbi 179, Spring 2018
Abstract
Kim Shi-jong’s account of his tumultuous life, given in the 70th Anniversary of Jeju uprising (April 3 Protest), let us witness the realities of the tragic history. Kim weaves together all the episodes he experienced during the protest as a member of Labor Party in South Korea into the tragic political situation surrounding the trusteeship decision of Korea after the liberation in 1945. Recollecting the horrible pictures of dead bodies of the victims and their unappeased grudge, the author advises today's audience not to mention "reverence" with haste before taking on the responsibility for truth ascertainment of the protest. The heart-breaking story of the aged Korean-resident in Japan exploring the true nature of reverence will resonate strongly with our readers.