Lee Bong-Chang attempts to assassinate Japanese emperor
Jan. 8, 1932
Commemorative photo of Lee Bong-chang taken before his attentat
WCH:
On 8 January 1932, Korean independence activist Lee Bong-chang threw hand grenades at the car of the Japanese emperor as he returned from a military review in Tokyo. Lee was born in Seoul in 1900 and first worked at a bakery before moving to Japanese-occupied north-eastern China (known as Manchuria) and working as an apprentice train driver. There, he was discriminated against by Japanese colleagues, who referred to him by the derogatory term for Korean people: "Josenjing". Lee then began to organise against Japanese colonialism and moved to Japan, working as a labourer, in a shop and as a factory worker, and learning Japanese. He decided to try to assassinate Emperor Hirohito and managed to get hold of two hand grenades. Lee told a friend: "I’m 31 years old. Even if I live 31 more years, I don’t think I’ll be given more pleasure than now. I’ll now fulfil my sacred mission to surprise the world for the sake of my country’s independence and freedom." Emperor Hirohito was unharmed by the grenades, and Lee was promptly arrested and later sentenced to death. He was executed on October 10, 1932, but the audacity of his act spurred further organising against Japanese occupation.
On 8 January 1932, Korean independence activist Lee Bong-chang threw hand grenades at the car of the Japanese emperor as he returned from a military review in Tokyo. Lee was born in Seoul in 1900 and first worked at a bakery before moving to Japanese-occupied north-eastern China (known as Manchuria) and working as an apprentice train driver. There, he was discriminated against by Japanese colleagues, who referred to him by the derogatory term for Korean people: "Josenjing". Lee then began to organise against Japanese colonialism and moved to Japan, working as a labourer, in a shop and as a factory worker, and learning Japanese. He decided to try to assassinate Emperor Hirohito and managed to get hold of two hand grenades. Lee told a friend: "I’m 31 years old. Even if I live 31 more years, I don’t think I’ll be given more pleasure than now. I’ll now fulfil my sacred mission to surprise the world for the sake of my country’s independence and freedom." Emperor Hirohito was unharmed by the grenades, and Lee was promptly arrested and later sentenced to death. He was executed on October 10, 1932, but the audacity of his act spurred further organising against Japanese occupation.