Hankooki, 08-31-2005 20:12
Traces of Japan in Korean Architecture
By Kim Tae-jong

Last month, the nation celebrated the 60th anniversary of liberation from Japanese colonial rule. However, the remnants of the period, which ran from 1910 to 1945, are everywhere, sometimes without people realizing it, and now many efforts are actively being made to shed light on the recent past and move ahead.

The book ``Traces of Japanese Colonial Rule Seen Through Photographs (Sajinuro Pon Iljesidaeui Chanyoung)’’ tries to explain what has been left here from the period. The book contains about 80 photographs that illustrate how Japan’s influence still remains in Korea.

The author Lee Seo-kyu writes that the period has not been properly examined and evaluated, which is a necessary step for the betterment of the relationship between the two countries.

``The colonial rule ended 60 years ago, but it is not fully in the past and still exists in the present. If we don’t look for the truth, which is now distorted, the past can’t be part of our history but only an ongoing misery which will stand as a barrier to the future,’’ Lee writes in the book. Lee resides in Japan and works as a freelance writer focusing on the two nations’ relationship.

In the first part of the book, Lee introduces evidences of Japanese architecture and public sites, including train stations, airfields and reservoirs. In the final chapters, Lee tells the

stories and experiences of Japanese women who married Korean men and moved to Korea, as well as the stories of third generation Korean-Japanese.

The followings are some examples that Lee gives in his book to show traces of Japanese colonial rule. Since a book in 1995 by historian Jung Un-hyun examined Japanese architectural influence in Seoul. Lee decided to focus on the southern parts of the nation. Many of his examples are from Pusan, a port city that played an important role during that era.

1. Tongrae Train Station, Pusan

Many train stations were built during the Japanese colonial rule, especially in Pusan and other port cities. They were mainly used to make it easy to transport looted goods to Japan. Some of them still remain without much renovation since they are not frequented. Built in a typical Japanese style, Tongrae Train Station has a sharply inclined roof, which is essential for Japanese weather, which has a huge amount of rain all year round.

2. Pumosa Temple, Pusan

Pumosa Temple was originally built in 678 by King Munmu of the Silla Kingdom, but it also houses many Japanese structures and buildings which were also arranged in a Japanese style. In the temple, many stone lamp structures built in Japanese style can be seen, and as shown in the photo, a building called ``pojeru’’ has been placed blocking the path to the main building, ``taewungjon,’’ where the statue of Buddha is preserved. Traditionally, pojeru is made of wood and without walls so that people can pass through freely.

3. A business building in Pusan

The first modern buildings were constructed mostly during the colonial rule. The Japanese gave them a modern touch by using red bricks and following Western architecture. They resembled modern buildings in Japan, inconsiderate of Korean weather, tradition and culture. As the Japanese believed that they would colonize Korea for a long time, they especially put more efforts into constructing buildings such as their government offices and store buildings, as shown in the photo, and they even imported red bricks from other countries for aesthetic purposes.

4. A fortress wall in Kadukto, Pusan

Many Japanese military establishments were built in major points of strategic importance such as Pusan and Cheju Island, and they still exist and are neglected. In Pusan, many marine establishments were built during the Japan-Russia War, while in Cheju, airfields were constructed for ``kamikaze,’’ or Japanese suicide pilots, as well as fortresses and batteries. The photo shows observatory constructions for cannon fire in Kadukto, Pusan, which are scattered on the ridgeline of mountains.

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/200508/kt2005083120103111710.htm

 

 

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