Guest Columnist. Army ROTC 40th Class

August 15, 2025, marks the 80th anniversary of liberation and the 77th anniversary of the nation's founding. August 15, 1945, was the day sovereignty was regained from Japanese colonial rule, and August 15, 1948, was the day the Republic of Korea was established, finally exercising its lost sovereignty. August 15, 1948, is the National Foundation Day when twenty million citizens established the Republic of Korea with complete sovereignty on half of the Korean peninsula. The leftists viewing March 1st as National Foundation Day is a violation of the spirit of constitution-making and an disruption of the historical legitimacy of the Republic of Korea.  

History is a process of finding wisdom for present survival through the past. Eighty years have passed since Liberation Day on August 15, 1945, and Korea-Japan relations have evolved from extreme anti-Japan sentiment to overcoming Japan, and now to a stage of cooperation. Looking to the future, it is time to consider a Korea-Japan alliance. Some politicians still stir up old anti-Japan sentiments on Liberation Day and mention the Five Traitors of Eulsa, yet over 70,000 young Koreans went to Japan for jobs in 2024 alone.  

Are anti-Japan politicians aliens living in a different world, contrary to the public's emotions? Do they exploit anti-Japan sentiment while knowing the reality? While their bodies are anti-Japan and anti-America, do their children travel to Japan and study in America? How long will they wear the mask of anti-Japan hypocrisy?  

1. A nation that forgets its past cannot survive.  

"A nation without a future has no past." This is a famous quote by Danjae Shin Chae-ho. Without revolution, the inherent tendency of historical regression repeats itself. The history of Japan directly tormenting and ruling us spans 8 years of the Imjin War and 36 years of Japanese colonial rule. In contrast, China has invaded our nation, ravaged our land, demanded tribute, and tormented our spirit and body whenever unified dynasties were established, totaling over 2,000 years out of our 5,000-year history. The tribute, both human and material, paid to the Qing Dynasty only ended in April 1895, when the Qing lost the Sino-Japanese War.  

While past feelings towards Japan still linger, there is no sense of political interference or spiritual subjugation from present-day Japan. However, we distinctly feel the invasions, interference, and oppression committed by China. Individuals who sell their conscience and country for personal political gain—pro-China, pro-traitorous, and sell-out figures—are increasing. The more I learn about their traitorous acts, the more I feel severe nausea.   

2. China's Invasion of the Republic of Korea is at the Level of War Crimes.

Let's examine the types of Chinese incursions into the Republic of Korea, focusing on their titles. Infringement of sovereignty through territorial waters and EEZ violations, territorial water encroachment through illegal fishing in waters near the NLL, technological theft through cyberattacks targeting major Korean companies and defense industries, manipulation of public opinion through comment brigades during major elections, and interference in fraudulent elections through computer manipulation—these have long encroached upon our sovereignty and right to survival. The Chinese Communist Party is engaging in a new form of warfare, "Unrestricted Warfare" (超限戰), transcending all boundaries and restrictions to invade the Republic of Korea. Due to the CCP's persistent Unrestricted Warfare, 90% of the public feels China's invasion and aggression on a personal level.  

While China is considered our economy, the economic damage caused by China is significant. In retaliation for the deployment of THAAD, they imposed blatant economic sanctions, including banning the sale of Korean tour packages and regulating Korean Wave content, causing immense damage to Korean companies' activities in the Chinese market. China has used this economic pressure as a diplomatic bargaining chip, deepening South Korea's dependency under its influence.  

Pro-China politicians, contaminated by China, have engaged in traitorous acts such as allowing Chinese citizens to vote and legalizing their employment and loan benefits, all while failing to revise Article 98 of the Criminal Act to expand the scope of espionage charges to include China and all other countries.  

Northeast Project, which incorporated ancient Korean history such as Goguryeo and Balhae into Chinese history, has recently expanded into "Cultural Project." Confucius Institutes established in domestic universities represent the CCP's stance, the Chinese government invites domestic media outlets to induce favorable reporting, and operates fake news websites to create pro-China and fake public opinion online, undermining the foundation of liberal democracy. China's actions against the Republic of Korea are more severe and malicious than those of war criminals.   

3. True Liberation Day is Independence from China.  

China's threats and invasions against the Republic of Korea are sophisticated and multi-faceted. To prepare for military threats, we must strengthen the ROK-US alliance, cooperate with the rotational deployment of US strategic assets, and strengthen solidarity with liberal democratic countries such as the US and Japan diplomatically. We must also utilize multilateral cooperation frameworks like the Quad to counter China's hegemony. To escape China's influence, we must persuasively pursue indigenous nuclear armament.  

We must break free from economic dependence on China. We need to diversify our supply chains to Southeast Asia, India, and other regions to reduce our reliance on China. Particularly, we must achieve economic self-reliance that is not swayed by external shocks by pursuing localization in key minerals, materials, components, and equipment sectors, diversifying export markets, and actively pioneering new emerging markets. We must develop into an economic powerhouse where we would not suffer significant losses even if diplomatic ties with China were severed.  

We must achieve independence from China with the spirit of the August 15th founding. True liberation is the protection of complete sovereignty and the achievement of independent self-reliance, free from any foreign invasion or interference. We must widely inform the public that China's invasion is not merely an economic issue but a matter of national sovereignty, expand our survival base by allying with free nations, and protect the free system by eradicating totalitarian, pro-China, and pro-North Korea forces that threaten and undermine our free system. We must simultaneously pioneer the path to free unification and human prosperity.  

Free unification is the realization of the constitutional spirit and a great undertaking to complete the founding of the Republic of Korea. All citizens who love the Republic of Korea must unite and strive to guard against, discern, and expel pro-China and pro-traitorous forces who seek to destroy the nation through traitorous acts. We must re-arm ourselves with President Syngman Rhee's spirit of liberal democratic nation-building to overcome confusion and division, and accomplish the mission and great undertaking of free unification.