Centenary of Kaneko Fumiko's death marked with government memorial

The government held a memorial ceremony Thursday to mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Kaneko Fumiko, a Japanese independence activist and wife of Korean independence fighter Park Yeol.

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans held the "Centenary Memorial Ceremony for Kaneko Fumiko" that morning at the multipurpose hall of the Mungyeong Culture Center in North Gyeongsang Province.

About 200 people attended, including Minister of Patriots and Veterans Kwon O-eul, figures from various fields, members of a commemorative association and bereaved families of independence activists. The program included a national ceremony, a certificate of appreciation presentation, a reflection on Kaneko's life, commemorative and memorial addresses, a poetry reading, a donation of Kaneko-related materials and a flower offering.

Born in Japan in 1903, Kaneko met Park Yeol, a young Korean activist, and became his ideological comrade and life partner. In Tokyo in the 1920s, the two were active in the Kokutokai and Futeisha organizations, publishing the journals "Kokuto" and "Genshakai" to spread anarchist ideas and sustain their critique of imperialism and the emperor system.

Their activities led to what became known as the Park Yeol High Treason Case, as Japanese imperial authorities launched a sweeping crackdown on Koreans and ideological activists following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. Kaneko was arrested alongside Park and sentenced to death, a sentence later commuted to life imprisonment. She died July 23, 1926, at Utsunomiya Prison at the age of 23.

She is remembered as a figure who resisted power and discrimination in pursuit of human freedom and equality. In recognition of her contributions, the government posthumously awarded her the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Patriotic Medal, in 2018.

"Kaneko Fumiko was a person who devoted her life to justice and freedom, transcending nationality and ethnicity," Kwon said. "I hope this centenary memorial ceremony will serve as a meaningful occasion to remember her noble courage and convictions, and to share the values of peace and human rights with our people and future generations."