On November 17, 120 years since the Eulsa Treaty, a press conference was held in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul calling for historical justice and peace. The press conference was jointly organized by the Civil Solidarity for Historical Justice and Peaceful Relationship between Korea and Japan, in which the Korean Council participates, and the Korean Peace Solidarity for Sovereignty and Reunification.
At the press conference, a statement by Chairperson Lee Na-young of the Korean Council was delivered by an activist on her behalf. Speakers from various sectors strongly condemned the Japanese government’s far-right and militaristic trajectory, including its denial of colonial rule, evasion of responsibility for the Japanese military sexual slavery and forced mobilization, distortion of history regarding Dokdo, and its continued push toward becoming a military power.
Participants expressed grave concern over recent actions by the Takaichi-led cabinet, including the glorification of war criminals and remarks suggesting possible military intervention in Taiwan, warning that such actions are heightening tensions in East Asia. They demanded immediate corrective measures, an official apology, and reparations from the Japanese government. At the same time, speakers noted emerging changes among Japan’s younger generation and reaffirmed the potential of international solidarity, emphasizing the continued urgency of realizing historical justice.
The press conference also sharply criticized the Lee Jae-myung administration for sidelining historical issues and prioritizing military cooperation at its first Korea–Japan summit. Speakers argued that the failure to raise critical unresolved issues, including the Fukushima nuclear contaminated water discharge, the Sado Mine, and the Kanto Massacre, amounts to abandoning historical justice and constitutes humiliating diplomacy that aligns with Japan’s remilitarization.
As Japan continues expanding the Dokdo Exhibition Hall and its ongoing military buildup, strengthening Korea–Japan or Korea–U.S.–Japan military cooperation is unacceptable. Participants called on the Korean government to immediately halt military cooperation and to shift toward a foreign policy centered on peace, sovereignty, and historical accountability.
120 Years Since the Eulsa Treaty:
For Historical Justice, Peace, and a Just Korea–Japan Relationship
Date & Time: November 17, 2025 (Monday), 2:00 p.m.
Location: In front of the Japanese Embassy, Seoul
Joint Organizers:
On November 17, 120 years since the Eulsa Treaty, a press conference was held in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul calling for historical justice and peace. The press conference was jointly organized by the Civil Solidarity for Historical Justice and Peaceful Relationship between Korea and Japan, in which the Korean Council participates, and the Korean Peace Solidarity for Sovereignty and Reunification.
Participants expressed grave concern over recent actions by the Takaichi-led cabinet, including the glorification of war criminals and remarks suggesting possible military intervention in Taiwan, warning that such actions are heightening tensions in East Asia. They demanded immediate corrective measures, an official apology, and reparations from the Japanese government. At the same time, speakers noted emerging changes among Japan’s younger generation and reaffirmed the potential of international solidarity, emphasizing the continued urgency of realizing historical justice.
The press conference also sharply criticized the Lee Jae-myung administration for sidelining historical issues and prioritizing military cooperation at its first Korea–Japan summit. Speakers argued that the failure to raise critical unresolved issues, including the Fukushima nuclear contaminated water discharge, the Sado Mine, and the Kanto Massacre, amounts to abandoning historical justice and constitutes humiliating diplomacy that aligns with Japan’s remilitarization.
As Japan continues expanding the Dokdo Exhibition Hall and its ongoing military buildup, strengthening Korea–Japan or Korea–U.S.–Japan military cooperation is unacceptable. Participants called on the Korean government to immediately halt military cooperation and to shift toward a foreign policy centered on peace, sovereignty, and historical accountability.
120 Years Since the Eulsa Treaty:
For Historical Justice, Peace, and a Just Korea–Japan Relationship
Date & Time: November 17, 2025 (Monday), 2:00 p.m.
Location: In front of the Japanese Embassy, Seoul
Joint Organizers:
The Civil Solidarity for Historical Justice and Peaceful Relationship between Korea and Japan
Korean Peace Solidarity for Sovereignty and Reunification