Japan's wartime legacy etched onto Korean airfields

A new book delves into the hidden history of Japan's military infrastructure constructed across the Korean Peninsula during its colonial period. "Traces of Japan's War on the Korean Peninsula," authored by former KBS producer Lee Wan-hee, meticulously investigates airfields and special attack bases established by the Japanese military.

Building upon his previous work, "The Korean Peninsula Was Japan's Military Fortress" (2014), Lee's latest book draws from extensive research in Korean and Japanese archives. It illuminates lesser-known military installations, tracing their origins, purpose, and operational history. By analyzing declassified Japanese military documents and various historical records, the book details how the Korean Peninsula was incorporated into Japan's "decisive battle strategy" during the final stages of the Pacific War.

This strategy was designed by Imperial Japan to repel an anticipated Allied invasion of its mainland and the Korean Peninsula. The book also examines the integration of Kamikaze special attack units, which launched suicide missions against Allied fleets. It reveals that naval air bases in Jeju, Busan, and Gwangju served as training grounds for naval aviators. As the war situation deteriorated, many trainees and instructors were deployed to Kamikaze units.

Furthermore, the book sheds light on the painful history of forced mobilization of Koreans. Numerous Koreans were conscripted into labor forces like the "Geunro-Bokgukdae" for airfield construction. Through testimonies and records, it highlights the extreme labor exploitation and suffering endured by these individuals. Eighty years after liberation, Lee's work poses a critical question: "How should we understand and remember the traces of war that Japan left on this land?"