A meeting for honoring the memory of the Koreans killed in the explosion of "Ukishima-Maru" perpetrated by the Japanese imperialists was held in Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture on Aug. 24.

Present there were officials of the Kyoto Prefectural Headquarters of Chongryon, Koreans from all walks of life, the mayor of Maizuru City, members of local autonomous bodies of Japan, activists for probing the truth about the forcible drafting of Koreans and others.

Ji Sung Il, vice-chairman of the Santan Chapter of Chongryon, in a memorial address said that the Japanese imperialists deliberately exploded "Ukishima-Maru" in waters off Maizuru Port, Kyoto Prefecture, 64 years ago, killing thousands of Koreans.

The Japanese authorities, however, have not yet made any reparation or official apology to the victims of the thrice-cursed massacre but gone the lengths of turning down the demand for the probe about the truth, he declared.

Introduced at the meeting was a memorial article written by Ko Tok U, vice-chairman of the Chongryon Central Standing Committee who is the head of the Central Headquarters of the Koreans' Side of the Fact-Finding Group for the Probe into the Truth about the Forcible Drafting of Koreans. Then Katsuhiko Yoe, chairperson of the Society for the Memory of the Victims of the Explosion of "Ukishima-Maru", made a memorial address.

A memorial meeting for the slain Koreans was also held at Utenji Temple in Tokyo on the same day with the attendance of Koreans in Japan and Japanese citizens.

Their remains have not yet been sent to their hometowns due to the obstructions of the Japanese authorities though more than 60 years have passed, the participants deplored, urging the authorities to return the remains to their bereaved families at an early date.