We tracked the day of the demolition of the Japanese Government-General of Korea building.
The SBS program "Story of the Day Biting the Tail" (hereinafter "Ggoggomu"), which aired on July 16, shed light on the day the Japanese Government-General building was demolished.
In the summer of 1995, a crowd of 50,000 people gathered around the Gwanghwamun area. Despite it being one of the hottest days of the year, no one complained or showed signs of irritation. What they were waiting for was the removal of the spire of the Japanese Government-General building, a symbol of Japanese imperialism.
Although many had been waiting for this moment, the demolition of the Japanese Government-General building was not a smooth process. At the time, opinions for and against the demolition were sharply divided, and in fact, those opposing the demolition at one point accounted for more than half of the public.
Arguments against the demolition varied: some suggested preserving it as a lesson from a shameful history and as evidence of Japanese atrocities, while others questioned whether it was appropriate to use taxpayer money to tear down a building, arguing that destroying a structure would not erase a painful past.
There were also opinions that the building, which served as a symbol of modern Korean history and had changed hands four times over 70 years, should be preserved as it was.
However, the president at the time, Kim Young-sam, was resolute. Upon taking office, he ordered the prompt demolition of the Japanese Government-General building.
President Kim argued for the demolition with the motto, "We must set history straight to carry out reforms," questioning, "While cultural heritage should be preserved, can a symbol of national shame be considered cultural heritage?"
The Japanese Government-General building was a space deeply imbued with the intentions of Japanese imperialism, clearly designed to show the Korean people what Japan wanted them to see.
Above all, the building was constructed to block the view of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the symbol of the Joseon Dynasty, which sparked public outrage as it appeared to be an attempt to sever the history of Korea.
The construction took 11 years and cost 180 billion won. The building was created by exploiting the labor of the Korean people and using materials from Korea. We were forced to build the headquarters of our own colonial rule. Furthermore, Japan engaged in shameless acts to secure the massive construction costs, such as selling off Korean cultural assets.
For instance, the Seonwonjeon, where portraits of Joseon kings were enshrined and ancestral rites were held, was sold off to be used as a kitchen and warehouse for a temple dedicated to Ito Hirobumi. In this process, Gyeongbokgung Palace was continuously damaged; of the 509 buildings that existed before the Japanese colonial period, only 36 remained after the period, meaning over 90 percent of the buildings were sold or demolished.
Japan even removed Gwanghwamun Gate under the pretext that it blocked the front of the Japanese Government-General building. They also designed the central axis of the Government-General building to be misaligned with the central axis of Gyeongbokgung Palace, attempting to erase the legitimacy of the Korean people.
A 3.75-degree tilt pointed toward Namsan Mountain, where the Chosen Jingu, a shrine housing Japanese deities, was located at the time. When viewed from above, the Japanese Government-General building resembled the Japanese kanji character for "sun" (日), which led to speculation that it was Japan's true intention to stamp its mark in the heart of Korea.
Despite the building being a symbol of such shameful history, the demolition did not proceed for a year even after the decision was made and the spire was removed first. There was much work to be done.
In particular, the Japanese Government-General building was being used as the National Museum of Korea at the time. Moving the numerous artifacts without damage was a daunting task. Although it was decided to temporarily relocate them to the National Palace Museum of Korea, just 50 meters away, moving the artifacts was the most difficult challenge for the officials who valued the relics more than their own lives.
During this process, a shocking discovery was made in the basement of the building: a detention facility with iron doors as thick as 14 centimeters. This space, equipped with locks on the outside and observation windows, served as evidence of the system Japan used to rule Korea. The discovery of traces of torture throughout the space once again ignited public fury.
After the demolition was decided, Japanese people flocked to Korea to see the building before it disappeared. They made outrageous remarks, saying things like, "I miss those days," and "Why destroy such a historically valuable building?"
In particular, the Japanese Minister of Home Affairs sparked public outrage with his absurd claim that "Japan did many good things for Korea through the annexation, and the change of names to Japanese style was not forced."
In response, President Kim Young-sam retorted, "I will fix the bad habits of the Japanese." He made his stance clear, stating, "I have no reason to show tolerance regarding history."
As time passed, full-scale demolition began 11 months after the removal of the spire. The Japanese Government-General building was dismantled layer by layer and floor by floor, and it disappeared from the world forever on November 13, 1996.
Gwanghwamun Square has since become the most symbolic space in the Republic of Korea. If the Japanese Government-General building were still standing today, would it hold the same meaning it does now?
History was rewritten after the Japanese Government-General building vanished. Perhaps the destruction on August 15, 1995, was a constructive act of demolition that allowed the Republic of Korea to be reborn.
(Reported by Kim Hyo-jeong, Editor at SBS Entertainment News)
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