For my second post that I am making during my stay in Korea, I thought it would only be fitting to introduce you to the Korean perspectives that I unexpectedly found in the old Japanese-language newspaper archives at the National Library of Korea. This editorial message is a fascinating piece of history from November 1945, shedding light on the transitional period just after Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule. The message comes from the ethnic Korean staff of the Keijo Nippo newspaper. For those unfamiliar, Keijo Nippo had been the official propaganda newspaper under the Imperial Japanese colonial regime, which had dominated Korea from 1905 to 1945.

In this pivotal moment of history, the Korean staff had recently taken over the news operations from their Japanese superiors. They faced a unique challenge: the need to communicate with their fellow Koreans, but with limited resources to do so in their native language. Due to a shortage of Korean typefaces essential for producing newspapers in the Korean language, they found themselves in a position where they had no choice but to continue publishing in Japanese.

However, the staff wanted to convey a crucial message to their ethnic Korean readership. They sought to reassure them that, even if the articles were written in Japanese, the heart and soul of the content would remain undeniably Korean. The essence of their message was a commitment to the Korean spirit and identity, even amidst the challenges of the transitional period.

It’s a poignant reminder of the complexities faced by nations in the aftermath of colonial rule and the resilience of people striving to reclaim their cultural identity.

Keijo Nippo would continue publishing until its last issue on December 11, 1945. Unfortunately, many of the surviving copies of Keijo Nippo from that month look badly damaged, including the last issue. 

[Translation]

Keijo Nippo (Gyeongseong Ilbo) November 2, 1945

Notice

Since August 15th, everything in Korea is gradually returning to our possession. In line with this, the Keijo Nippo newspaper has also returned to our possession as of today. We only regret how long overdue this return was.

Reflecting on the long journey of the Keijo Nippo newspaper over the past forty years, it is undeniable that there have been many actions that we, as Korean compatriots, could not condone. Even though we served in our duties and acted the way we did due to compulsion and pressure, we are tormented by our responsibility in all this.

At this juncture, we considered abandoning our pens and becoming the foundation stones for the establishment of the nation. However, given that certain tasks are best left to those who specialize in them, we deeply realized that the only shortcut to contribute to the construction of the new Korean state was to dedicate ourselves with sincerity in our professional field as journalists. Thus, we have picked up our pens again, which we had once put aside, and we have firmly vowed to become a driving force for the establishment of Korea.

However, due to the directives of the military government and the lack of typefaces, we have reluctantly reached a point where we will continue to publish in Japanese for the time being in this transitional period. This is something we deeply regret.

Nevertheless, even if the expressions are in Japanese, the content remains true to our Korean spirit. We sincerely hope that our thirty million Korean compatriots will understand our genuine feelings on this matter.

We vow once again! We will do our utmost to serve as the foundation stones for the establishment of Korea. We will make every effort to rectify this transitional state of publishing in Japanese as soon as possible. We earnestly request the guidance and encouragement of our thirty million Korean compatriots.

November 1, 1945

Keijo Nippo Newspaper Company

From All the Korean Employees

[Transcription]

京城日報 1945年11月2日

謹告

八月十五日を契機として、朝鮮内の凡ゆるものは我等に戻りつつある。この線に沿って『京城日報』も今日を以て我等の手に帰したが、我等はその何と遅かりしを卿つのみである。

偖て『京城日報』が過ぐる四十年間の長きに亘って歩んで来た途程に就いては、我等朝鮮同胞として許すべからざるものの多々あるは否み難い。仍って、いくらかなりとも職を奉じていた我等としては、圧力に強いられて動いて来たとはいえ、その責に悶えているのである。

此の際潔くペンを折って建国の聖なる捨石となる途もなきやと考えても見たものの、矢張り餅は餅屋で、言論人として誠を捧げて職域に奉ずるのが朝鮮の新国家建設に寄与する唯一の捷径であることを痛感し、此に更めて一度は擱いたペンを執り直し、敢えて朝鮮建国の推進力たらんと固く誓って起ち上がったのである。

然るに軍政庁の指示と活字の不備により不本意乍ら過渡期的現象として、当分間日本文を以て発刊するの已むなきに至った。これは我等としてもかえすがえすも遺憾に堪えないところである。

併し、譬え表現は日本文を藉りるとはいえ、その内包は我が朝鮮魂に偽りのないことは言うまでもない。此の点については、朝鮮三千万同胞諸氏に我等の微衷を諒せられんことを切に乞う次第である。

我等は改めて誓う！我等は、朝鮮建国の捨石として最善を竭さん。而して日本文で発刊されるという過渡期的現象を一日も速やかに是正することに、我等は最大の努力を傾けん。冀くば朝鮮三千万同胞諸氏よ！絶大の御指導と御鞭捷を賜わらんことを。

一九四五年十一月一日

京城日報社

朝鮮人従業員一同