Wiesenthal Center Condemns Anti-Semitic ‘Monnara Iunnara’ Comic Book
A few initial observations before I relate the rest of this story. First, I predict that no embassies will be burned and no riots will ensue as a result of these comics.
Second is a story that I may never have told here, but will tell now. In February of 2004, when British newspapers first reported that North Korea was killing men, women, and kids in a gas chamber at Camp 22, near Hoeryong, North Hamgyeong Province, I (and others) contacted Rabbi Abraham Cooper for the first time. This led to a brief e-mail exchange between Rabbi Cooper and myself, and inspired me to begin this blog. Since that time, Rabbi Cooper has been one of the commanding figures of the movement to expose and end the atrocities in North Korea, to include key support for the North Korean Human Rights Act, addressing Freedom House’s North Korean human rights conference in July of 2005, meetings with Kim Moon Soo and John Bolton, and more acts than I could describe here. Rabbi Cooper’s response to the inhuman murder of innocent North Koreans was immediate, strong, persistent, and highly effective.
I can’t help but believe that his efforts have earned him the right to be heard when he says this:
We were shocked to recently learn that a book from your very successful series, Monnara lunnara by Professor Lee Won-Bak is replete with classic hateful and dangerous antisemitic caricatures and themes. For your information I am inclosing a few of the most notorious, for they echo Nazi canards like those found in Der Sturmer and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion by recycling various Jewish conspiracies like Jewish control of the media and money, Jews profiting from war, and even the alleged reason for the 9/11 attacks was that, “Jews use money and the media as weapons in America to do as they want. In addition, the author even alleges that the “Final obstacle to success” is a so-called “Wall of the Jews. Ms Park, we urge Gimm-Young Publishers to review for itself the slanders in this book that historically have led to antisemitism, violence, hatred and even genocide. We respectfully suggest that you take steps to replace the litany of hate and instead provide young Korean readers with the facts about the Jewish people and our religion and values.
A translated sample from the The Wiesenthal Center’s press release; click for full size:
They were also classy enough to thank the expats and bloggers, most of whom I presume to be non-Jews, who brought this story to light and translated the images. I would be more specific and tip my hat to Sonagi, Reading Iunnara, and of course, Robert Koehler (I’ll add Robert’s request for some decent bagels in Seoul to my petition right after the request for my still-unrecouped share of the take from the international financial conspiracy).
Let’s hope the publisher’s reaction, and that of most of Korean society, are thoughtful and introspective. No ethnic group, including Koreans, would want to be depicted this way.
Update: This story is certainly not over, but people of African descent undoubtedly experience more discrimination in Asia than Jews do. Japanprobe has an update on a related situation in Japan. In the event Family Mart hasn’t actually removed some vehemently racist books from its stores, I wonder if the NAACP would be interested in this story.