Disfigured, shamed and forgotten: BBC visits the Korean survivors of the Hiroshima bomb
A recent visit by the BBC to South Korea shed light on the stories of Korean survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, who have long been disfigured, shamed, and largely forgotten in the shadow of history. The survivors, known as “hibakusha” in Japan, were a group of about 5,000 Koreans who were forcibly taken to Hiroshima during Japan’s colonial rule to work as laborers.
On August 6, 1945, when the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, an estimated 500 Koreans lost their lives in the blast, with many others suffering severe injuries and radiation exposure. However, these Korean survivors faced discrimination and stigmatization both in Japan and back in Korea, where they were often treated as “guilty” for having been in Japan during the war.
The Korean survivors shared stories of enduring physical and emotional pain for decades, with many unable to access proper medical treatment or support due to bureaucratic hurdles and social stigma. Now in their 80s and 90s, they feel neglected by both the Japanese and South Korean governments, who have failed to fully acknowledge their suffering or provide adequate compensation.
The Japanese government has historically been criticized for its treatment of hibakusha, with accusations of downplaying the long-term effects of radiation exposure and not doing enough to support the survivors. On the other hand, the South Korean government has been urged to do more to recognize the plight of these survivors and address their medical and social needs.
As the stories of these Korean survivors come to light, questions arise about the moral responsibility of both Japan and South Korea in supporting these marginalized individuals who have carried the scars of the Hiroshima bombing for over seven decades.
Sources Analysis:
BBC – known for factual reporting but may have a slight bias towards certain topics, potentially aiming to shed light on lesser-known stories for awareness.
Fact Check:
The involvement of around 5,000 Koreans as laborers in Hiroshima during Japan’s colonial rule – Verified facts, as historical records confirm this.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Disfigured, shamed and forgotten: BBC visits the Korean survivors of the Hiroshima bomb”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.