A UN Deputy Secretary-General and 24 Korean atomic bomb survivors attended a memorial ceremony at Hiroshima Peace Park [1], [2].
The event highlighted the shared trauma of the 1945 bombing and the continuing effort to identify Korean victims whose total numbers remain uncertain [1], [2].
The ceremony took place on Aug. 6, 2023 [2], marking 80 years since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima [1]. During the proceedings, participants placed the names of the deceased into a memorial stone to ensure their identities are preserved [1], [2].
Among the attendees were 24 Korean hibakusha — survivors of the radiation and blast [1]. These survivors traveled to Japan to honor those who died as a result of the attack [2]. The presence of the UN Deputy Secretary-General underscored the international nature of the tragedy and the global call for peace [1], [2].
Organizers of the memorial said that the full scale of Korean casualties in Hiroshima is not fully documented. The act of adding names to the stone serves as a physical record for those previously omitted from official accounts [1], [2].
Because the event occurred on the 80th anniversary, it served as a milestone for the remaining survivors. Many of the hibakusha are now in their advanced years, making these public commemorations critical for the transfer of historical memory to younger generations [1].
“24 Korean hibakusha attended the ceremony”
The inclusion of Korean victims in Hiroshima's memorial landscape reflects a broader movement to acknowledge the colonial context of the 1945 bombing. Because many Koreans were forced laborers in Japan at the time, their casualties were often undercounted or ignored in early records. The participation of a high-ranking UN official suggests an international recognition of these specific human rights grievances alongside the general call for nuclear disarmament.
