Seoul: Disfigured, shamed, and forgotten, Korean survivors of the Hiroshima atom bomb continue to battle for recognition and justice after nearly eight decades. The bomb, which fell on August 6, 1945, affected many, including Lee Jung-soon, who was on her way to school when devastation struck. Survivors like Lee and Shim Jin-tae, who now resides in Hapcheon, South Korea, face ongoing health challenges and a lack of acknowledgment from the nations involved in the tragedy.

According to BBC, survivors like Shim express frustration over the lack of accountability from the United States, Japan, and even Korea. The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) has gathered genetic data to possibly expand the definition of victims to include second- and third-generation survivors, but only if results are statistically significant.

Historically, of the 140,000 Koreans in Hiroshima at the time, many were from Hapcheon. Korean survivors were forced into hazardous post-war clean-up roles, contributing to a high fatality rate among them. A study by the Gyeonggi Welfare Foundation highlights the dangerous conditions faced by Korean survivors, who lacked local support and adequate medical care.

Despite their return home post-bombing, Korean survivors faced stigma and poverty. Many, like Han Jeong-sun, suffer from hereditary health issues, yet struggle for official recognition. The Korean government only began taking steps to investigate and support these victims in recent years.

In July, Hiroshima officials laid flowers at a memorial in Hapcheon, but peace activist Junko Ichiba argues that peace without apology remains hollow. The absence of formal acknowledgment of Korea's colonial past and atomic bomb victims in Japanese educational materials exacerbates the injustice.

Heo Jeong-gu of the Red Cross stresses the urgency of addressing these issues while survivors are still alive. For survivors like Shim, memory and recognition are paramount, as they hope to prevent history from repeating itself.