Korean Liberation Association Seeks More Effective Transfer of Pro-Japanese Assets to State Ownership... Public Hearing in Mid-November

Lee Jongchan, president of the Korean Liberation Association: "What the state must do"
"Must not once again leave it as a task for future generations"
Stresses the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs' responsibility; calls

The Korean Liberation Association is pursuing measures to strengthen the legal basis and build a cooperation framework between the central government and local governments to improve the effectiveness of investigations and the recovery of assets acquired through pro-Japanese activities for transfer to state ownership.

Lee Jongchan, president of the Korean Liberation Association. Yonhap News.

The Korean Liberation Association said on October 15 that it plans to hold a public hearing around mid-November, ahead of the second committee's term beginning on December 3, 2026, to specify the scope and methods of investigations and discuss measures to improve the system.

The public hearing will review the legal basis and supporting evidence for the special act, as well as the institutional framework needed to support the committee's work, including its investigative authority, access to records, cooperation from relevant organizations, and responses to litigation. The aim is to review historical facts and legal issues together from the outset of investigations, as insufficient legal grounds or evidence could lead to losses in court.

Measures to strengthen cooperation with local governments will also be discussed. These include using relevant records held by local governments, such as land registers and cadastral maps, to trace how pro-Japanese assets were acquired and transferred, and linking digitized records with investigative materials held by relevant organizations to improve the efficiency and accuracy of investigations. The committee will also consider providing financial support, such as special grants, to local governments participating in asset recovery efforts, or offering incentives such as special promotions and awards to public officials who achieve results.

The Korean Liberation Association plans to gather opinions from experts and members of the public at the hearing and submit its proposed improvements to the National Assembly, the government, and relevant organizations.

In his welcoming address, Lee Jongchan, president of the Korean Liberation Association, said, "The state must not once again leave work it should do as a task for future generations." He stressed the need to specify the scope and methods of investigations, address gaps in the system, and clarify the role and responsibilities of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.

The Korean Liberation Association said that, because returning pro-Japanese assets to state ownership is essential to upholding the values of the independence movement and the spirit of the Constitution, it will work to ensure that discussions at the public hearing lead to meaningful improvements to the system, as well as investigations and asset recovery.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.