{
  "id": 5713515,
  "title": "How Korea was really colonized",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/how-korea-was-really-colonized",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-05T04:27:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/opinion/20260905/how-korea-was-really-colonized"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "From 1910 to 1945, the region now known as Korea was under Japanese rule. During this period, the city which was once called Hanyang during the Joseon Dynasty was renamed Keijō in Japanese and Gyeongseong in Korean. Post-liberation, Seoul once again became the official name. Some residents still retain their Japanese language skills, not due to any association with the Japanese empire, but rather due to compulsory schooling, bowing to Tokyo, adopting Japanese names and language in public, and revering Korean language and history at home. The 1936 Berlin Olympics saw Korean athletes competing under a Japanese flag, with Son Kee-chung becoming the first Korean to win an Olympic gold medal in the marathon. Nam Seung-yong secured bronze in the same event.",
  "summary": "For 35 years, the place that I inhabit today was not known as Korea, but rather it was part of Japan. While during the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty the capital was known as Hanyang, from 1910 to 1945 during the Japanese colonial period the city was officially known in Japanese as Keijō and in Korean as Gyeongseong. Only following liberation did it formally adopt the previous vernacular term of Seoul.…",
  "key_points": [
    "Korea colonized by Japan 1910-1945",
    "Seoul renamed Keijō, Gyeongseong during Japanese rule",
    "Korean athletes competed under Japanese flag at 1936 Berlin Olympics"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The legacy of Japanese rule in Korea continues to influence the lives of some residents, with lingering effects on language skills and cultural practices.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "How Korea was really colonized",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/how-korea-was-really-colonized-5718515",
        "published": "2026-09-05T05:17:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}