South Korean A-bomb survivor living in Japan shares A-bomb experience with students at Indonesian universities
Oct. 28, 2019
by Kyoko Niiyama, Staff Writer
In September, Lee Jong Keun, 90, a South Korean A-bomb survivor living in Asaminami Ward, Hiroshima, visited two universities in Bandung, Indonesia to share his experience of the atomic bombing.
Mr. Lee visited Widyatama University, a private university, and Padjadjaran University, a national university. He said that about 300 students, all of whom study Japanese, gathered to listen to his story. Mr. Lee experienced the atomic bombing at a location about 1.8 kilometers from the hypocenter. During his talks, he showed the students A-bomb drawings and described what conditions were like in Hiroshima on August 6, the day the city was attacked with the atomic bomb. He also recounted how he concealed his identity as an A-bomb survivor and a second-generation South Korean in Japan. He then said that he suffered dual discrimination.
Mr. Lee looked back on his talks in Indonesia and said, “I was surprised that most of the participants didn’t know anything at all about the damages caused by the atomic bombing. They seemed very interested in Hiroshima’s remarkable reconstruction after the war.” After he shared his story, the students told his, over and over, how important peace is. They also said that their meeting with his has inspired them to take action for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
His speaking engagements were organized by a citizens’ group in Kanagawa Prefecture that pursues exchanges with people in Indonesia. The group also held A-bomb exhibitions at these universities. The exhibitions included panels that explained the health problems caused by radiation from the atomic bomb as well as photos that showed the terrible conditions in the city of Hiroshima after the A-bomb blast.
(Originally published on October 28, 2019)
In September, Lee Jong Keun, 90, a South Korean A-bomb survivor living in Asaminami Ward, Hiroshima, visited two universities in Bandung, Indonesia to share his experience of the atomic bombing.
Mr. Lee visited Widyatama University, a private university, and Padjadjaran University, a national university. He said that about 300 students, all of whom study Japanese, gathered to listen to his story. Mr. Lee experienced the atomic bombing at a location about 1.8 kilometers from the hypocenter. During his talks, he showed the students A-bomb drawings and described what conditions were like in Hiroshima on August 6, the day the city was attacked with the atomic bomb. He also recounted how he concealed his identity as an A-bomb survivor and a second-generation South Korean in Japan. He then said that he suffered dual discrimination.
Mr. Lee looked back on his talks in Indonesia and said, “I was surprised that most of the participants didn’t know anything at all about the damages caused by the atomic bombing. They seemed very interested in Hiroshima’s remarkable reconstruction after the war.” After he shared his story, the students told his, over and over, how important peace is. They also said that their meeting with his has inspired them to take action for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
His speaking engagements were organized by a citizens’ group in Kanagawa Prefecture that pursues exchanges with people in Indonesia. The group also held A-bomb exhibitions at these universities. The exhibitions included panels that explained the health problems caused by radiation from the atomic bomb as well as photos that showed the terrible conditions in the city of Hiroshima after the A-bomb blast.
(Originally published on October 28, 2019)
