Koreans in Seoul streetcar observing mandatory daily Moment of Silence at noon in 1943 to honor Imperial soldiers; caption reads “they offer infinite gratitude for the blood-soaked toil of the generals who are fighting valiantly to destroy the U.S. and Britain on the pathetically brutal front lines”

This photo captures a scene inside a Seoul streetcar in 1943 as the passengers respond to the sound of sirens to observe the mandatory daily noon Moment of Silence to honor Imperial Japanese soldiers. 

The propaganda narrative says that they were praying for the Imperial soldiers, but most likely the thoughts running in their minds ranged from fear, resignation, to anger. After all, they had no choice but to comply.

People in the British Commonwealth may find it similar to Remembrance Day, when a two-minute silence is observed at 11 am every year on November 11, only this silence was observed everyday at 12 pm. The other daily mandatory ritual was the 7 am Kyūjō Yōhai ritual (宮城遥拝), which involved deeply bowing several times in the direction of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo while standing, vowing loyalty to the Emperor. The two prayers were mandatory and enforced in Korea, but not so in mainland Japan. In August 1943, the rules were made stricter by requiring vehicles to stop in the middle of the road or the tracks at 7 am and 12 pm to perform the prayers.

The second article shows some orphan children who were observing the Moment of Silence at a police station before they were taken away by Seoul Social Services, possibly to an abusive orphanage like the Seongam Academy.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) August 25, 1943

A Great Silence Pledging to Win the War

100 million people march to take up the spirit of the Founding Fathers of Ancient Japan

When the sirens sound at noon, the city and the countryside immediately stop and become quiet. Workers stop working, pedestrians stop walking, trains and cars stop driving, and everyone inside vehicles stand up in silence for this solemn hour. At this moment, they offer infinite gratitude for the blood-soaked toil of the generals who are fighting valiantly to destroy the United States and Britain on the pathetically brutal front lines. They pray in this moment, "May the heroic souls, who have become the demons of national defense, rest in peace forever". They also make a firm pledge of victory to further increase production capacity and fight hard at their workplaces to win this decisive battle. The silent prayer at noon is a building block of wartime life, and people on the home front should not neglect this holy moment, and they should offer a solemn and pious silent prayer that emanates from their patriotic hearts. [Photo: Silent prayer in a train]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-08-25

 

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) November 15, 1942

Moment of silence observed even by mute and lost children

◇…. Around 9:00 a.m. on November 14th, Kim Gan-lan (김간란/金干蘭) (10-years-old), Oh Eung-cheon (오응천/呉應天) (7-years-old), and a mute boy aged around 3 wandered into the Dongdaemun Police Station. But even in the hearts of these lost children, the spirit of the Imperial people is strongly nurtured.

◇…. When the noon siren sounded, they offered a pious silent prayer to remember the hard work of the front line generals. The policemen watching this cute scene were moved to tears.

◇…. As they ate pieces of bread, the three lost children were led away by an old man from the Social Services Division of the Seoul Prefectural Government. [Photo: From left to right, Eung-cheon, Gan-lan, and the mute boy]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1942-11-15

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年8月25日

必勝誓う大いなる沈黙

肇国の精神を承け一億の進軍

正午のサイレンが響き渡ると一瞬にして街も農村も動かず静かに籠る。職場に挺身する者は仕事を止め、道路を歩行する者はピタリと足をとどめ、電車も自動車も運転を停止して車中の者は静かに此の厳粛なる一刻に起立。凄愴苛烈な前線に思いを致し生死を超越して米英撃滅に勇進力闘している将兵の血のにじむ労苦に無限の感謝を捧げ、「護国の鬼と化した英魂よ、永久に安かれ」と祈念するこの一瞬間。さらにさらに生産力増強に職場に敢闘して断じて決戦を勝ち抜かんとする必勝の誓いを固めるのだ。正午の黙祷は決戦生活の建設であり、戦う銃後国民は一人としてもこの聖なる一刻を忽せにすることなく、愛国の熱い赤心からほどばしり出る厳粛敬虔な黙祷を捧ぐべきである。【写真＝電車内の黙祷】

京城日報　1942年11月15日

唖で迷子の坊やも沈黙

◇．．．十四日午前九時ごろ、東大門署へ金干蘭ちゃん（一〇）、呉應天君（七つ）、それに三つ位の唖の坊やが迷い込んで来ました。でもこの迷い子達の胸にも皇民精神は根強く培われている。

◇．．．お昼のサイレンが鳴り渡ると敬虔な黙祷を捧げ、第一線将兵の労苦を偲ぶ可愛らしい姿に警察官を泣かせました。

◇．．．この迷い子三名は一片のパンに舌鼓を打ちながら府庁社会課のオジサンに手を引かれて行きました。【写真＝向かって左から応天君、干蘭ちゃん、唖の坊や】

Korean children underwent mass medical inspections in 1943 competition to identify and celebrate the healthiest top 'superior children' who would 'become respectable Japanese people who will carry the next generation on their shoulders'

Another peculiar institution of Imperial Japan was the 'Superior Children' competition, where a panel of medical doctors would perform extensive mass medical inspections of large numbers of little children, score them based on various health metrics, and then celebrate the top scoring children as the top 'superior children' who were expected to grow up into 'strong Japanese soldiers and respectable Imperial women'. The colonial regime may have wanted to get the Korean people accustomed to the state invading into their personal health matters, while also getting the children used to the invasive medical inspections that they would get as newly conscripted soldiers.

Initial medical screening performed on May 2, 1943

It will be noted that Nazi German doctors were also performing mass medical inspections of populations at around this time, so Imperial Japan may have been at least partly inspired by their example. German medicine had long had a strong influence on Japan at least since the Meiji era in the 19th Century.

In 1943, the mass medical screening started on May 2 (see first article), the Seoul finalists were selected on May 15 (see second article), and the final winners for all of Korea were selected on June 26 (see third article), with an awards ceremony held on July 7 (see fourth article). There were four pediatric doctors who performed the mass medical inspections and the judging, including one token Korean named Dr. Lee Seong-bong (이성봉/李聖鳳). Interestingly, his name comes up on a list of South Korean nationals who were abducted by North Korea. He was kidnapped by the North Korean People's Army on July 31, 1950, at around the outbreak of the Korean War, and his whereabouts are still unknown to this day. The National Diet Library in Tokyo keeps some pediatric journal articles that Dr. Lee wrote in the 1930's.

The competition was co-sponsored by Maeil Sinbo and Keijo Nippo with support of the Korean Federation of National Power, the single ruling party of colonial Korea. Maeil Sinbo was the last remaining Korean-language newspaper in Korea after Chosun Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo were shuttered in 1940.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 4, 1943

Child rearing is excellent

Crowded scene at the Superior Children Screening Committee

The 5th Superior Children Screening Committee, co-sponsored by Maeil Sinbo and Keijo Nippo, was held on the second day of the Healthy Peoples Movement on May 2nd at 9:30 a.m. in the Whashin Department Store Event Hall. It was held in the belief that, in order to win this war, it is essential to ensure the strength and stamina of the people on the home front, and so the Health Peoples Movement is to vigorously campaign in all of Korea for 10 days in the month of the Dragon Boat Festival, beginning on May 1st. Parents, burning with the conviction that their beloved children will grow up to become strong Japanese soldiers and respectable Imperial women, crowded into the screening room with their infants in their arms. The screening committee members on this day were Dr. Hironaka, Director of the Department of Pediatrics at Seoul Medical College, and Dr. Lee, Director of the Department of Pediatrics at Seoul Prefectural Hospital.

Dr. Lee, with the support of 25 nurses, examined more than 300 infants, all of whom were in better condition than in previous years, showing the improvement of the parents' child-rearing spirit. It was encouraging to see them displaying the strong will of a fighting people.

Height, chest circumference, body weight, etc., were measured meticulously, and their fat, naked bodies were placed in front of the doctors in charge of examining their eyes, teeth, etc. By looking at the appearances of these infants, you could almost hear the sounds of the footsteps of the healthy people and healthy soldiers who are preparing for conscription. Burning with a desire to secure human resources, the screening committee was adjourned after 4:00 p.m. [Photo: The Event Hall]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-05-04

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) June 2, 1943

Six Superior Children Honored

The representatives of Seoul were chosen

Awards ceremony co-sponsored by Maeil Sinbo and Keijo Nippo

In the belief that the best Momotarō of Japan should come from the Korean peninsula, the 5th All-Korea Superior Children Awards Ceremony is to be co-sponsored by Maeil Sinbo and Keijo Nippo with the support of the Korean Social Service Association and the Korean Federation of National Power. Beginning with the first rounds of screening at Mitsukoshi Deparment Store and Whashin Department Store on May 2nd, there were 723 participants who responded to the recruitment drive held in all of Korea in the belief that those who will anchor victory in the Greater East Asian War on a solid bedrock foundation will be the healthy children of the next generation. On May 15th, the second round of screening in Seoul was held in an outpatient room at the Department of Pediatrics of Seoul University Hospital and the Department of Pediatrics of the affiliated hospital at Seoul Medical College. After careful selection by four judges, including Professor Izumi at Seoul University Hospital, the following six children were selected to represent Greater Seoul:

Junko Inoue (41 Sindang-dong), Nobuo Hirayama (149-236 Ahyeon-dong), Hiroaki Hoshimoto (141-1 Haengchon-dong), Toshio Lee　(151 Nakwon-dong), Takeko Matsubara (192 Chebu-dong), Nam Hee-jong (남희전/南煕典) (530-7 [illegible]-dong)

The final selection will be made from a total of 45 children, 39 of them from all other parts of Korea. The final judging will be held in Seoul in late June.

[Photo: From the top: Inoue, Hirayama, Hoshimoto, Lee, Matsubara, and Nam].

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-06-02

 

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) June 27, 1943

Healthy Korean Children of Honor

Sponsored by Keijo Nippo

The screening of superior children has been completed

Who will be the healthy children who will carry forward the next generation of the Imperial Korean peninsula on their shoulders? The 5th All-Korea Superior Children Awards Ceremony, co-sponsored by Keijo Nippo and Maeil Sinbo with the support of the Korean Social Service Association and the Korean Federation of National Power, called on all Koreans to "Identify yourselves, healthy children!" The number of respondents actually climbed to 70,000, and starting on May 15 with the selection of superior children in Seoul, the central review committee reviewed the total of 45 candidates representing all provinces of Korea, and made their final selections at the Josun Seoul Hotel from 3:30 p.m. on June 26.

The four judges, including Mr. Shingai, Deputy Director General of the Administration Bureau, Mr. Nagai, Director of the Seoul Social Affairs Division, Dr. Otsuka, Director of the Korean Social Service Association, and many others concerned, attended the meeting. Careful consideration was conducted by the four members of the panel: Dr. Izumi (Director of Pediatrics at Seoul University Hospital), Dr. Takai (Assistant Professor at Seoul University), Dr. Hironaka (Director of Pediatrics at Seoul Medical College), and Dr. Lee Seong-bong (이성봉/李聖鳳) (Chief of Pediatrics at Seoul Prefectural Hospital). The first and second prizes were awarded to one contestant each, and the third prize was awarded to two contestants.

First place: Toshirō Ōuchi (Mileuk-dong [미륵동/彌勒洞], Sinuiju, Pyeonganbuk-do)

Second place: Takeko Matsubara (192 Chebu-dong, Seoul)

Third place (shared): Hiroo Takada (Geonip-ri, Jeju-eup, Jeju Island, Jeollanam-do), Keizō Kamitaka (39 Imperial Army Officers Residence, Daehyeon-dong, Daegu, Gyeongsangbuk-do)

The Superior Children Awards Ceremony for the representatives from each province in all of Korea as well as Seoul will be held in the auditorium of Seoul Citizens Hall on July 7.

[Photo: Central Screening Committee]

[Photo: The screening committee and the prize-winning superior children (from top) Toshirō Ōuchi (first place), Takeko Matsubara (second place), Hiroo Takada (third place), and Keizō Kamitaka (third place).

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-06-27

 

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) July 8, 1943

Award certificates were received by the cute hands of the children

The hall was filled with cheerful laughter

Cosponsored by Keijo Nippo and Maeil Sinbo: Superior Children Awards Ceremony

Co-sponsored by the Maeil Sinbo and Keijo Nippo, the 5th All-Korea Superior Children Awards Ceremony, which boasts of having the top "superior children" on the Korean peninsula as a foundation for a prosperous Asia with healthy people and healthy soldiers, was held at 2:00 p.m. on July 7 in the auditorium of Seoul Citizens Hall, with Deputy Director Shingai, Director Hada of the Korean Federation of National Power, Councilor Kiyomichi of the Central Advisory Board, Lieutenant Colonel Gama of the Military Press Department, Dr. Izumi, Dr. Hironaka, Dr. Lee Seong-bong (이성봉/李聖鳳) and others, as well as a large number of military and civilian guests in attendance. The ceremony was attended by 150 people including many military, government, and civilian guests, the All-Korea superior children, other superior children from Seoul and the rest of Korea, and their parents.

Following the National Ritual (bowing to the Emperor), there was an address by President Kanekawa of Maeil Sinbo and greetings by Commissioner Tanaka (read on his behalf by Deputy Director Shingai). Mr. Nagai, Director of the Seoul Social Affairs Division, reported on the progress of the project. Following Dr. Izumi's comments, Director Hada of the Korean Federation of National Power said, "Parents and siblings must not neglect to pay full attention to the upbringing of healthy children. Superior children are the wings of a victorious Japan. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to both newspaper firms for their efforts in this endeavor". After the ceremony, Deputy Director Shingai handed over the certificates and prizes to first-place winner Toshirō Ōuchi of Sinuiju, second-place winner Takeko Matsubara of Jongno-gu Seoul, and third-place winners Hiroo Takada of Jeju Island and Keizō Kamitaka of Daegu. The audience was filled with cheerful laughter as the certificates and prizes were first being handed out to the cute little boys and girl. Mr. Yutaka Takada, the representative of the superior children, gave a strong speech saying, "I will continue to devote myself to raising these children so as not to disgrace this honor, and raise them to become respectable Japanese people who will carry the next generation on their shoulders".

The pledge was recited by Mr. Takahashi, Director-General of the Publications Bureau of Keijo Nippo. The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m. with a chorus of "Long Live the Emperor", led by Councilor Kiyomichi of the Central Advisory Board.

Dr. Izumi of Seoul University, one of the member of the screening committee, said the following:

"The physical makeup of people is not to be simply determined by their appearance. The everything about the person has to be weighed and averaged. The screening judges were happily working hard and breaking a sweat, because the remaining 45 contestants were all superior children who were difficult to distinguish from one another. This year's first-prize winner was from Northern Korea, even though Southern Korea has been the winning region in past competitions. Seoul has also performed pretty well in every competition. This suggests that warm weather is not the only factor that determines the outcome of the competition. The results also proved that, just as in the care of plants and trees, the way in which infants are nurtured is just as important. In short, it is desirable to 'carefully nurture' and be prepared to ensure that today's superior children do not become tomorrow's frail children."

[From left to right facing the photo: Matsubara (second place), Kamitaka (third place), and Takada (also third place)]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-07-08

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年5月4日

育児は上乗

優良児審査会賑う

この戦を勝ち抜くためには銃後国民の健全鞏固な体力の確保が第一だと健民運動は尚武の五月、一日から十日間に亘り全鮮一斉に逞しく展開しているが、毎新並びに本社共催の第五回優良児審査会は健民運動第二日目の二日午前九時三十分から和信催場で開催した。我が愛児を強い日本軍人にまた立派な皇国の女性に育て上げようと勝ち抜く信念に燃える親達はその幼児を抱えて審査場に押し寄せた、この日の審査員弘中京城医専小児科長、李府民病院小児科長。

同李医師は二十五名の看護婦の応援を得て三百余名の幼児に対する審査を行ったが、いずれも例年よりも優れて、その親達の育児精神の向上を物語っており、戦う国民の力強い意気込みを誇示して頼母しかった。

身丈、胸囲、体重等を細密に測り、担当医師の前にまるまると肥えた裸像を委ねて眼や歯等の診察を受ける。幼児達の姿にも徴兵制に備える健民健兵の足音をきくことが出来る。審査会は人的資源確保の意欲に燃えて午後四時すぎ閉会した。【写真＝会場】

京城日報　1943年6月2日

誉れの六優良児

京城代表決まる（本社毎新共催の表彰会）

”日本一の桃太郎”は半島からと第五回全鮮優良児表彰会は本社並びに毎日新報社主催、朝鮮社会事業協会、聯盟後援の下に去月二日三越、和信における第一次審査を皮切りに勝ち抜く大東亜戦争の前途を磐石の安きに置くものこそ次代を継ぐ健康児童であるとの建前から全鮮的に呼びかけて応募者実に七百二十三名の参加をみたが、京城府における第二次審査会は去月十五日城大病院小児科外来診察室及び京城医専付属医院小児科両会場で行われ、和泉城大教授ほか四審査員の手で厳選に厳選を重ねた結果、これこそ大京城を代表する優良児との折紙を付けられたのは次の六名である。

かくて全鮮からは三十九名、合計四十五名の中から最後の半島一最優良児が選ばれるのだ。その最終審査会は六月下旬京城で行われる。

井上淳子（新堂町四一）、平山進男（阿峴町一四九ノ二三六）、星元宏明（杏村町一四一ノ一）、李家利男（楽園町一五一）、松原竹子（體府町一九二）、南煕典（？町五三〇ノ七）

【写真上から井上、平山、星元、李家、松原、南の各優良児】

京城日報　1943年6月27日

誉れの半島健児

本社主催：優良児の審査終る

「次代の皇国半島を背負って起つ健児は誰だ！」と本社並びに毎日新報社主催、朝鮮社会事業協会、聯盟後援の第五回全鮮優良幼児表彰会は「健児よ、名乗れ」と全鮮に呼びかけたが、応募者実に七万の多数に上り、去月十五日京城優良幼児の決定を皮切りに全鮮各道の代表計四十五名についての最後的決定の中央審査会を二十六日午後三時半から朝鮮ホテルで行った。

新貝司政局長代理、永井本府社会課長、大塚朝鮮社会事業協会主事ほか関係者多数列席の下に和泉城大小児科長、高井城大助教授、弘中医専小児科長、李聖鳳府民病院小児科長の四審査員によって慎重なる銓衡を兼ねた結果、同五時三十分、半島最優良の全鮮代表と折紙つきの優良児四名の決定をみたが、第一位と第二位は各一名、第三位は二名である。

◇第一位＝大内敏郎君（平北新義州彌勒洞）

◇第二位＝松原竹子さん（京城體府町一九二）

◇第三位＝高田裕雄君（全南済州島済州邑健入里）

◇上高敬造君（慶北大邱大峴町陸軍官舎三九）

なお全鮮代表と各道並びに京城府代表の優良幼児表彰式は七月七日京城府民館中講堂に於いて挙行する。

【写真＝中央審査会】

【写真＝審査会と入賞の優良児（上から）第一位の大内敏郎君、第二位の松原竹子さん、第三位の高田裕雄君、同上高敬造君】

京城日報　1943年7月8日

可愛い手へ賞状

明るい笑いに満つる会場

本社毎新主催：優良児表彰会

健民健兵は興亜の基と半島一の”優良幼児”を誇る本社並びに毎日新報社主催第五回全鮮優良児表彰会は七日午後二時から府民館中講堂に新貝司政局長、波田総聯総長、清道中枢院参議、軍報道部蒲中佐、和泉、弘中、李聖鳳各博士外、軍官民来賓多数臨場、全鮮優良幼児、京城府及び一般優良幼児とその父母等百五十名が参列して挙行。

国民礼儀についで金川毎新社長挨拶、田中政務総監告辞（新貝司政局長代読）あり。永井総督府社会課長の経過増告。審査委員和泉博士講評についで波田総聯総長は『父兄母姉は健康児育成の為には骨身惜しまず充分の注意を怠ってはならぬ。優良幼児こそは勝ち抜く日本の翼である。両社のこの企てに深甚の感謝の意を表する』と祝辞あり。終って新貝局長の手から賞状及び賞品が第一位新義州大内敏郎、第二位府内鐘路松原竹子、第三位全南済州島高田裕雄、大邱上高敬造さん初め可愛い坊ちゃん嬢ちゃんの手に渡される感激の場面に会場は明るい笑いに満たされる。優良幼児代表高田豊氏は『今後もこの栄誉を辱しめぬように養育に専念し、次代を背負う立派な日本国民に育成します』と力強い答弁あり。

高橋本社出版局長唱導で誓詞斉誦。清道中枢院参議の発声で聖壽万歳を奉唱して同三時閉会した。

審査委員和泉城大教授は語る。

「体格の良否は単に外見のみでなく、全般がガッチリと平均せねばならぬ。最後に残った四十五名は何れ甲乙のない優良児で審査員もお蔭で熱汗したたる嬉しい審査風景だった。従来の優勝地南鮮を圧し、本年は北鮮が第一位。京城府内も毎回仲々成績が良い。つまり温暖な気候のみが決して左右せないという一つの示唆を得た。草木の手入れと同様、幼児の養育方法如何が大切なることを立証している。要するに”注意深く養育する”ことと今日の優良児が明日の虚弱児たらぬよう充分の心構えが望ましい」

【写真＝向かって左から第二位松原、第三位上高、同高田の三優良幼児】

 

Korean writers in the 'Korean Literary Association' became puppet voices for Imperial Japan, praising the 1942 switch from Korean to Japanese language in Korean literature and declaring, 'Korea has come to share the mission of transmitting the spirit and culture of Japan to all regions of Asia'

Thus far, we've seen how Koreans of various walks of life, including comfort women and 'model Korean families' who mainly spoke Japanese at home, have been quoted in the colonial newspaper obsequiously praising Imperial Japan while denigrating their own Korean identities, essentially becoming puppet voices for the colonial regime. In many of these cases, it is doubtful that their words, which often repeat formulaic propaganda stock phrases typical of the era, reflected their actual opinions. I believe it's reasonable to assume that, oftentimes, various forms of pressure were applied on the Koreans to say the right things. After all, we've seen how 'ideological criminals' have been placed into re-education camps under 'judicial protection', and their family members detained and interrogated. In this post, I am examining the Korean Literary Association (조선문인협회/朝鮮文人協會), which was another puppet voicebox for the colonial regime, and reading the words of three of its members: Yu Jin-oh (유진오/兪鎮午, 1906~1987), Choi Jae-seo (최재서/崔載瑞, 1908~1964), and Lee Seok-hoon (이석훈/李石薫, 1907~?).

The Korean Literary Association was founded in 1939 to nurture Korean writers to serve the colonial regime. The association encompassed both ethnic Korean writers who wrote in Korean and Japanese and ethnic Japanese writers who were residents of Korea and wrote in Japanese, and the works of both groups were considered to be 'Korean literature', regardless of how different their cultures and perspectives may have been. In this way, Korean literature of this era became heavily politicized to serve the political interests of Imperial Japan. The association published a literary periodical that was published in both Japanese and Korean, but by May 1942, the Korean language edition was discontinued in the name of 'Imperialization' and 'Japanese-Korean unification'.

In the postwar era, the three members' lives took very different courses. Yu Jin-oh became one the early drafters of the South Korean Constitution, worked as a legal scholar and as a prominent conservative politician in South Korea for many years until his death in 1987. Choi Jae-seo continued his academic activities teaching English literature at South Korean universities until his death in 1964. Lee Seok-hoon was arrested by the North Korean People's Army at the outbreak of the Korean War in July 1950, and his whereabouts are unknown to this day.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) August 27, 1943

The Second Day of the Greater East Asia Literature Convention

Koreans Speak Out with Dignity and Determination

Mr. Tsuda and Three Others Take Active Roles

[Tokyo Telephone Report] On the second day of the Greater East Asia Literature Conference held at the Greater East Asia Hall on August 26, Yu Jin-oh (유진오/兪鎮午) and Choi Jae-seo (최재서/崔載瑞), representing the Korean peninsula, delivered remarks on "The Establishment of the Idea of Wartime Literature" and "The Conscription System and the Literary Movement in Korea," respectively, revealing the positions and goals of Korean literature within Greater East Asian literature. Tsuda Tsuyoshi proposed that "all literary figures of Greater East Asia rise up", which made a great impression in the entire hall. Of the 24 speakers who gave speeches on this day, the three who hailed from Korea emphasized the holy mission and firm determination of the Korean peninsula to complete the Greater East Asia War and to build the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere through literature, and they expounded extensively on the fact that the Korean Literary Association has an extremely important role in the wartime literary movement to unite the various regions of Greater East Asia in the decisive war, and they made this point fully understood by the representatives of each region. The following is a summary of the three speakers' remarks:

Mr. Yu Jin-oh (유진오/兪鎮午): The Greater East Asia War has entered the decisive battle phase, so those on the front lines and those on the home front must unite as one to concentrate on the goal of destroying the enemy. Those of us in charge of cultural affairs must clarify our mindset. That is, we must clarify how we position our mindset in order to fight against the concept of "selfishness" that forms the basis of the British-American school of thought that has dominated the world for many years. We must beat down that concept of "selfishness" and rise up to the great spirit of "harmony" that is the original spirit of East Asia that has been preserved in its purest form and developed to the highest degree in Japan. There is no literature or culture apart from winning this war. Literary supremacism (literature for literature's sake) is only a British-American idea. I believe that the goal of wartime literature should be to win the war.

I am convinced that, in ancient times, Korea embraced the culture of the Asian continent as its own, and at the same time functioned as a cross-bridge, so to speak, in transmitting the culture of the Asian continent to mainland Japan. With Korea now a part of Imperial Japan, there has been a role reversal, and Korea has come to share the mission of transmitting the spirit and culture of Japan to all regions of Asia. My conviction stems from the conscription system that went into effect in August of this year, and it is no exaggeration to say that the problems between Korea and Japan have come to an end with the implementation of the conscription system. It is a great pleasure for me to be able to inform people in the various regions of Greater East Asia of the recent renewal and reactivation of the cultural movement in Korea, which was precipitated by the implementation of the conscription system.

Mr. Choi Jae-seo (최재서/崔載瑞): It was groundbreaking that the Korean literary world, which had been relatively strongly influenced by European literature, decided to break with the liberal literary world at the outbreak of the Greater East Asia War and embrace the Japanese worldview. However, it should be appreciated that the realization of the conscription system deeply contributed to this development. The first effect of the implementation of the conscription system was that Korean-language literature, which was historically written in Hangul, has been converted into Japanese-language literature. The second effect was a decisive change in the worldviews and attitudes toward life of the individual writers. I call this the grasping of the concept of one's own ancestral nation. Previously, the Korean intellectual class fundamentally lacked something, as if the wheels were missing from the axle. Because of this, the Korean intellectuals were unable to unleash the passion welled up in in the depths of their souls to move forward in a holistic manner. The implementation of the conscription system has made them come to the realization that they have to defend their own country with their own intellects and their own lives, and the idea of one's own ancestral nation sprang up in the hearts of the Korean literary intellectuals.

Korean literature is no longer a narrow literature based only on Korea. It can be clearly said that Korean literature is now a literature for the 100 million people of Imperial Japan who have established a space for the 27 million people in the Korean-language sphere, and also for the billion people of Asia.

Mr. Tsuyoshi Tsuda: As the Greater East Asia War enters its decisive phase, the cultural movement must also become systematized into a wartime system, and become strategized to push forward to destroy the United States and Britain. It is time for all cultural people of Asia to rise up to the occasion this autumn. We must establish a cultural organization with long lasting structures and methods throughout East Asia, but for the time being, I propose the following plan:

1. 1. On the Day of the Imperial Rescript on December 8th, literary writers from each region should hold a writers' convention in their respective regions. I would like each region to send representatives to each other in an effort to raise wartime consciousness. For example, we should ask for Korea, Manchuria, and North China to send representatives to each other, and it would also be a good idea to have the Japan Literary Association send representatives too.

1. 1. The periodical to be published after December 8 will include an editorial issue and a commemorative issue, which will contain wartime literature and expound on knowledge on how to the defeat the United States and Britain.

Mr. Kikuchi Hiroshi, the chairman, spoke in favor of Mr. Tsuda's proposal.

Greater East Asia Literature Prize

First Prize Winner Announced Today

Contestants for the first Greater East Asia Literature Prize, which is awarded to writers in the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere for their magnificent works, are being carefully screened by the Screening Committee, but since no works were officially selected for the first prize and the Southern Co-prosperity Sphere was not selected due to the screening deadline, several authors from mainland Japan, Manchuria, and the Republic of China were secondarily selected. The names of the winners and their works will be officially announced at the Greater East Asia Literature Conference in the afternoon of August 27.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-08-27

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 19, 1942

Ideological Warfare and Propaganda Warfare

By Maki Hiroshi [translator's note: his Korean name was Lee Seok-hoon (이석훈/李石薫)]

Maki Hiroshi, also known as Lee Seok-hoon

If we can sum up the essence of modern times, we can describe it as a war of ideology, simply because victory by force of arms does not necessarily mean true ultimate victory. Germany's defeat in World War I is a perfect example of this. As General Ludendorff said in his autobiography, "Germany's defeat in the World War was not my own fault, but rather the fault of the socialist fools". The socialist defeatism and anti-war ideology on the home front ultimately brought victory by military force to naught. In particular, the Greater East Asia War was, from its very inception, a struggle between the worldviews of two sides: that is, an ideological struggle between the New Order and the Old Order. It is difficult to say that the war will be completed simply by driving the United States and Britain out of the East Asian landmass, because the war is not fought for the sake of obtaining oil from the Dutch East Indies or rubber from Malaysia. Our war will not be over until we first thoroughly exterminate the British-American mentality that is nestled in the brains of 100 million people, and also cleanse out every last drop of the British-American mindset that permeates all the peoples of Asia.

I do not know whether the Japanese, who are more patriotic than any other people in the world, are praising the Japanese spirit with the same fervor and organization as the Americans and the British praise democracy, or whether they are even developing this for ideological warfare. For example, in the United States, leading scholars and writers have spent many years praising and promoting democracy. The influence of these efforts has been so great that even the ignorant masses are willing to give up their lives in defense of democracy.

The East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere includes many peoples, and in order to make these different peoples truly regard Japan as their ally, we must not stop at mere temporary propaganda efforts. Rather, we must give them something that will deeply penetrate them ideologically. Propaganda warfare is the rudimentary stage of ideological warfare, and is of course important in its own right, but unless it is backed up by the truth, it may even backfire in some cases. Ideological warfare is long lasting propaganda based on the truth, and those of us involved in writing are keenly aware of our great responsibility in this regard. (The writer is the executive secretary of the Korean Literary Association)

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1942-09-19

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年8月27日

大東亜文学者大会の二日目

堂々・決意述ぶ半島

津田氏ら三氏活躍

【東京電話】二十六日大東亜会館で開催の大東亜文学者大会二日目に於いて半島を代表して兪鎮午氏は『決戦文学の理念確立について』、崔載瑞氏は『徴兵制と朝鮮に於ける文学運動』と題してそれぞれ発言を行い、大東亜文学に於ける半島文学の立場とその目標を明かにし、津田剛氏また『大東亜文学者総蹶起』に関する提案をなし全議場に多大の感銘を与えたが、この日の発言者二十四名中朝鮮は実に三名を占める活躍ぶりで文学を通ずる大東亜戦争完遂、大東亜共栄圏建設に対する半島の聖なる使命と確固たる決意を強調し、大東亜諸地域を打って一丸とする決戦文学運動において朝鮮文学会が極めて重要なる役割を持つことを遺憾なく闡明し、且つ各地域代表にこの点を充分に徹底せしめた。三氏の発言内容は次の通り。

兪鎮午：大東亜戦争は愈愈決戦段階に入ったが、前線銃後一体となって敵撃滅に濾過しなければならんこの際、われわれ文化部面を担当するものは心の持ち方、即ち精神の置き方を明確にせねばならんが、永年全世界を風靡した米英流思想の根底をなす『我』と闘い、これを叩き伏せて東洋本来の偉大なる『和』の精神、一口にいえばわが日本に於ける最も純粋なる形に於いて保持され、且つ最高度にまで発展せしめられたる東洋の道義の精神に立ち揚がらねばならない。この戦争に勝つことを離れて文学も文化もない。文学至上主義の如きは米英流の思想に過ぎない。決戦文学の目標は戦に勝つという一点にあると思う。

朝鮮は古来大陸文化を自己のものとなすと同時に内地に伝える、いわば橋梁のような役割を果して来たのであるが、今や逆に皇国日本の一翼として日本の精神および文化をアジアの全地域に伝える使命を一端を担うに至ったと確信する。この確信は実に本年八月から実施された徴兵制に由来するもので、既往の内鮮間の問題は徴兵制実施を以て終止符が打たれたというも過言でない。最近朝鮮の文化運動が徴兵制を転機として頗る清新活発の様相を呈して来たことを各地域の方々にお伝え出来ることは自分としても大いに喜びとするところである。

崔載瑞氏：比較的強きヨーロッパ文学の影響の下にあった朝鮮文学が大東亜戦争勃発と同時に自由主義文学との決裂を決意し、日本的世界観に立ち這入ったことは当然のこととはいえ、画期的な事柄であった。しかしこれにも増して深刻なる影響を与えたものは、なんといっても徴兵制の実現である。徴兵制が与えた第一の影響は歴史を有する諺文で書かれた諺文文学が国語文学ヘ転換せんとしつつあることで、その第二は個々の作家の世界観、人生態度に決定的の変化を及ぼしたいということである。自分はこれを祖国観念の把握と呼んでいる。従来朝鮮の智識階級は根本的になにかが欠けていた。いわば車の軸が抜けていたために腹の底からこみ上げて来る情熱を以て全人格的の前進が出来ないといった状態であったが、徴兵実施により自己の智と命を以て国土を防衛するということが現実の事実として現れ、朝鮮の文学者の胸に湧然として祖国観念が湧き上がって来たのである。

朝鮮の文学は最早朝鮮のみを基礎とする狭い文学ではない。これは二千七百万の諺文圏を整えた一億国民のための否、アジア民族十億のための文学であるとはっきり申し上げることが出来る。

津田剛氏：大東亜戦争の決戦段階に臨んで文化運動も決戦体制化し、これを戦略化して米英撃滅に邁進しなければならん。アジアの全文化人は一人残らず蹶起すべき秋である。本来ならば、全東亜を通じて恒久的組織と方法とを持つ文化団体を樹立せねばらんが、差し当たっての方策として自分は次の案を提案したい。

一、来る十二月八日の大詔奉戴日は各地域の文学作家は各地域毎に作家大会を開催。各地域相互に代表者を派遣して戦時意識の昂揚に努めるようにしたい。例えば朝鮮に於いては満州、華北などよりも代表者の派遣を求めるが如き方法を取るもので、日本文学報国会より参加代表を派遣するものも又一案であろう。

二、十二月八日後の定期刊行物は編輯号、記念号を発行して戦う文学を掲載して米英撃滅の知識を闡明したい。

なお津田氏の提案に対して議長菊池寛氏より賛成意見の開陳があった。

大東亜文学賞

初の受賞者、きょう発表

【東京電話】大東亜共栄圏に在住する作家の雄渾なる作品に対して受賞される第一回大東亜文学賞は審査委員会の手によって慎重銓衡を進めているが、第一回分には正式受賞に該当する作品がなく、南方共栄圏は審査期日の関係その他で選に入りぬので結局日本、満州、中華民国三国の数名が次賞の形式で賞を受けることになった。なお第一回受賞者の氏名作品名は二十七日午後の大東亜文学者大会の席上正式発表される。

京城日報　1942年9月19日

思想戦と宣伝戦

牧洋

近代から煎じつめれば、思想戦であるということは、単に武力の勝利が真に最後の勝利を意味するものでないからである。第一次世界大戦におけるドイツの敗北は、この例の尤なるものであるが、彼のルーデンドルフ将軍もその自伝の中で『世界大戦にドイツが敗れたのは、余自身の責任であるというよりも、寧ろ社会主義者愚民のせいである』といっている如く、銃後における社会主義的な敗北主義並びに反戦思想によって、遂に武力の勝利を水泡に帰せしめたのであった。殊に今次の大東亜戦争は、そもそもの発端からして我と彼の世界観の争い、即ち、新秩序と旧秩序の思想的たたかいであるのだ。蘭印の石油ほしさに、マレーのゴムを得たさに戦ういくさでない故に、米英を東亜の天地から追い出しただけで、この戦争の有終の美をおさめたりとは云い難い。先ず一億国民の脳味噌の中に巣食っている米英を徹底的に駆逐し、更に全アジア民衆に侵透せる米英的思想をば、最後の一滴までも清掃せられざる限り、我々の戦いは終らぬのである。

私は寡聞にしてか、他の何れの民族よりも愛国的なる日本人が、米英人が民主主義を謳歌する如く熱烈に、且つ組織的に、日本精神を讃美し、且つこれを思想戦にまで展開しつつあるかどうかを知らない。例えば米国においては有数なる学者文人などが、長い年月を賭して民主主義の讃美と宣伝に努めている有様である。これらの影響はげに大きく無智なる大衆までが民主主義擁護の為には、一命を擲つことを名誉とするに至るのである。

東亜共栄圏には多数の民族が包括されるのであるが、これら異民族をして以て日本を真に盟主と仰がしめるには、単なる一時的の宣伝工作に止まることなく、思想的にまで深く食い込む何ものかを与えねばならぬ。宣伝戦は思想戦の初歩的段階であって、無論それ自身大切であるが、それが真実を裏づけとして伴わない限り、場合によっては逆効果をもたらす事すらあるのである。永久的なる真実の宣伝工作、これが思想戦であって、特に、我々文筆に携わる者、その責任の大なるを痛感する次第である。（筆者は朝鮮文人協会常任幹事）

Young female employees lining up to receive mandatory 'payroll savings booklets' to automatically deduct their wages to contribute to the Imperial Japanese war effort (Seoul, 1943)

The following is a photo of some young female employees at a company in Seoul lining up to receive some 'payroll savings booklets'. A portion of each employee's wages would be automatically deducted to contribute to a war fund as 'war savings' to support the Imperial Japanese military. The booklet would record how much was deducted towards the war effort. If this program worked similarly to mainland Japan, then the payroll contributions were mandatory, and there was no way for employees to voluntarily opt out of them.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) August 27, 1943

We will not want things until the war is won

Maidens burning with a fighting spirit to donate their payroll savings

The payroll savings booklets were handed to the maidens, one after the another. The fighting maidens disappeared from the office with the booklets in their hands, their cheeks blushing red with delight.

The submarine crew are conserving the air inside their submarines. Soldiers are sharing cups of water with their comrades-in-arms on battlefields covered with yellow dust. As long as the Imperial warriors continue to fight to the death in decisive battles this autumn, luxury is the enemy. Waste is also the enemy. The Korean Federation of National Power, Seoul Branch announced a set of ironclad rules for wartime life, which included a section on payroll savings (saving money by deducting from one's income).

Now, instead of buying silk socks, put the money into savings. Instead of buying a pint of beer, go buy some government bonds. The 1.2 million residents of Seoul are called upon to become a ball of fire to finish the Holy War and strive to surpass the 1.2 billion yen mark. [Photo: Payroll savings at a certain company]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-08-27 (page 4)

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年8月27日

欲しがりません、勝つまでは

天引き貯金に闘魂燃やす乙女達

天引き貯金帳が乙女の手に次から次へと渡される。通帳を手にした戦う乙女達は感激に両頬を紅潮させ、事務室から姿を消す。

潜水艦員は艦内の空気を節約し、黄塵万丈の戦野では一杯の水を戦友とわけあいながら、皇軍勇士が決戦死闘をつづけている秋、贅沢は敵だ。無駄も敵だ。生活を切り下げ貯蓄にはげみ、聖戦に勝ち抜こうと京城府聯盟ではさきに決戦生活の鉄則を発表し、その中、天引き貯蓄の一項目を設けている。

さあ、絹靴下のかわりに貯金だ。ビール一杯のかわりに国債だ。百二十万府民は聖戦完遂のために火の玉となって十二億円突破に邁進しよう。【写真＝某会社の天引き貯金】