SEOUL — Moon Young-sook, chairperson of the Choi Jae-hyung Memorial Foundation and a celebrated author known for shedding light on forgotten historical figures, is expanding her literary reach to Japan. Her acclaimed children's and young adult historical novel, Black Sea, which chronicles the harrowing experiences of a young Korean forced laborer in a Japanese submarine coal mine, has been published in Japanese.

According to a recent interview with Herald Japan, the Japanese translation of the book, titled Black Sea: Tears of Forced Conscripts (黒い海―強制徴用者の涙), was released on August 15 by the Japanese publishing house Kageshobo. Translated by Sachiko Kitamura and illustrated by Kim Se-hyun, the 264-page edition is tailored for readers ranging from middle school students to adults.

Set against the backdrop of the Chosei Coal Mine in Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, the novel follows Kang Jae, a 15-year-old boy from Korea. The story details the perilous underground labor, systemic discrimination, and desperate yearning to return home that Kang Jae and his fellow workers endure, illustrating the devastating human impact of wartime forced mobilization through personal narratives.

First published in South Korea in 2015 [Note: 2010 in original], Black Sea is a work of creative nonfiction rooted in the living testimony of Kim Kyung-bong, a survivor of the tragic Chosei Mine flooding disaster. Author Moon conducted extensive interviews with Kim to authentically capture the realities of the era through the innocent yet observant eyes of a teenage protagonist.

The Japanese publication carries profound significance as it brings this dark historical chapter directly to the society where the events unfolded. Japanese readers are invited to witness firsthand the grueling conditions endured by Korean laborers and confront the injustices faced by individuals striving to maintain their human dignity amidst deep-seated prejudice.

To enhance accessibility for Japanese youth, the publisher included phonetic readings (furigana) for kanji at a junior high school level, alongside explanatory commentaries by Yoko Inoue and Yujin Fuse, providing readers with crucial historical context.

Throughout her literary career, Moon has consistently focused on the lives of marginalized individuals pushed beyond national borders. Her previous works—such as The Henequen Children, Koryo-saram: The Endless Wandering, Young-dae the Kotjebi, and Independent Activist Choi Jae-hyung—explore themes of migration, displacement, colonial rule, and national division. The Japanese release of Black Sea is a natural extension of this lifelong dedication to historical empathy.

This mission closely aligns with her leadership at the Choi Jae-hyung Memorial Foundation, which works to recover the legacies of obscured historical figures. The foundation is scheduled to host an international academic seminar at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on December 11 to mark the 106th anniversary of Choi's martyrdom. Utilizing newly secured archival materials from Russia and descendants, the event will examine Choi’s multifaceted role not only as an independence fighter but also as a visionary leader and entrepreneur within the early Korean diaspora.

While the foundation's scholarly initiatives restore historical facts through archival research, Moon’s literature breathes emotional life into the past, conveying the fears and hopes of ordinary people to modern audiences.

By crossing language barriers, the Japanese edition of Black Sea broadens the circle of shared memory. A story written by a Korean author based on a survivor's account has now been embraced by a Japanese translator and publisher, posing a vital question to the next generation: How do we properly confront and pass down the painful truths of our shared history?

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