The Japanese invaders ran amuck to plunder gold and silver from the beginning of their aggression of Korea.
They established Bank No. 1 and issued its bank note, describing Korea as the “pit” of gold to plunder the gold. They also took away all the coins containing the gold.
They shipped a huge amount of gold obtained from coins and admitted it to the Japanese bank, with the result that huge confusion was brought about in the monetary system of Korea.
In March 1900, they egged on gangsters to rob the Jiksan Gold Mine. During their military rule of Korea (1905-1945) they found out all the gold mines in Korea and plundered hundreds of tons of gold by forcing many Korean people.
In addition, they built smelteries in different parts of the country to smelt gold, silver, copper and other nonferrous metals and took them to Japan.
They smelted 134. 527 tons of gold in six smelteries in Nampho, Munphyong, Hungnam, Haeju and other places in the period between 1937 and 1944.
Furthermore, they plundered such women’s trinkets as gold and silver hairpins and even robbed gold statues of Buddha in temples.
This is merely part of crimes they committed historically in Korea.
The blood-stained history of aggression and plunder can never be covered up no matter how much water may flow under the bridge.
