In the course of their study to scientifically prove the crimes committed by the Japanese imperialists in Korea, historians of the Academy of Social Sciences recently found out that the obit of Kojong, the 26th king of the feudal Joson dynasty, is at variance with the historical fact.

According to a book published in 1927 and a diary and a book published in Japan in 1965 and 2007 respectively, the obit of Kojong was January 21, 1919. They say that Kojong was dead on this day, but it was kept secret for fear that his death would exert bad influence on the Korean people and evoke anxiety and unrest among them.

The Japanese imperialists "officially" announced in a "gazette of the government-general in Korea" dated Jan. 23, 1919 that Kojong fell into a critical state by brain hemorrhage on Jan. 21 and died on Jan. 22.

The Japanese imperialist's distortion of the obit of Kojong was aimed to cover up their crime of secretly poisoning Kojong, an obstacle to their colonial domination over Korea, as a death by brain hemorrhage and to pacify the anti-Japanese sentiments of the Korean people.

The History Society and the Folklore Society of the DPRK held a consultative meeting and confirmed the obit of Kojong as January 21, 1919.