Debate reignited over Japanese buildings in South Korea

September 2 marks the 75th anniversary of the formal surrender of Japan - and the moment that brought World War II to an end.

Japan’s defeat in South Korea has reignited a debate over what to do with the buildings they constructed during their occupation of the Korean Peninsula.

Al Jazeera's Rob McBride reports from Seoul.

#AlJazeera #Japan #SouthKorea #Korea

[ElevenAlphaCentauri]

When I visited Ireland I saw a lot of old British buildings some even with the British coat of arms still on them. If the building is used for something different then it shouldn’t be a big deal. It’s a part of history.

[jsasa]

The irony is that many Koreans like to refer to “A nation that forgets its past has no future”.

[realcyrusjohn]

No matter if you successfully destroyed all the buildings from the past. Still the pain does not faded away.

[ldc]

in my country ( italy ) we have many building built during the fascist age ... bad or good it is anyway history .. you cant keep just the history you like

[upcoming]

Many Japanese leave false comments here

[jeonyounggun]

It was demolished from August 15, 1995, and was completely demolished in November 1996.

[akas]

Japan left good infrastructure . built station, libraries, hospitals and schools. they should not have spent money for this red country.

[japanfanatic]

They should not destroy those buildings because that's historical things

[djmbst]

'Debate reignited' - does your 'reporter' know? If yes, he failed to tell us anything about who debates whom, what are the arguments of each side, how the issue was settled after the initial debate, and why Koreans have been debating it again?

[KeithTKO]

Surprised you still believe what Korea claims.

[山田次郎-ei]

It is true that Korea and Taiwan became colonies of Japan.

But Japan is not even at war with Taiwan or South Korea.
Japan defeated Qing in the Sino-Japanese War, Taiwan was ceded to Japan, and the Republic of China and Korea became independent.
After that, the Russian Empire moved south to colonize Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula, and Japan fought on its behalf, and the Korean Empire was annexed by Japan.
The current Koreans claim that this annexation is invalid, but that is the current Korean values, and there were a certain number of politicians in the Korean Empire at that time who supported Japan.
By this time, the United States had also annexed Hawaii and the Philippines.
If Japan had lost the Russo-Japanese War, Korea and Manchuria would have become part of the Russian Empire.

[SOKTAUBOLATV]

i think the colonial buildings is like spoils of war. the building is useful and we could only get rid of the colonizers' symbol. if you destroy those spoils of war, it's like you got weapons from your colonizer but you naively choose to throw it away in the name of 'pride'

[anthony_depaz]

Very interesting. Japan has left her mark on Asia.

[comraderoy]

When they occupied Indonesia, all they built only cave.

[OsamasStory]

“Preserve and respect the history of the land is the duty of every civilised person!”

[김양일-vh]

Subscribed Al Jazeera to gain another angle on the world, instead I am disappointed with garbage entrees filler news designed for their Arab masters who probably has financial interests with the Japanese. AJ serious;y need to reassess their identity and mission statement.

[Bruno-mdl]

If you hate them so much, why don't you just cross them? Japan has even made formal reparations through the Japan-Korea agreement mediated by the US.

[宴は終わったが]

I suppose Al Jazeera positively challenge to controversial issue. Most Koreans may feel that this report Al Jazeera tries to insult pride of Korean people.

[pagongtagi]

Hong kong government house looks better without that ugly tower.