In South Korea, the beginning of spring is marked by the cherry blossoms blooming. It’s a magnificent sight where many tourists and locals come to admire the pink petals. However, not everyone is a fan of this scenery: activists aim to uproot the cherry trees in South Korea by 2050 because they are of Japanese origin.
“Yoshino” is the name of the disagreement. These cherry trees, originating from Japan, make up the vast majority of cherry trees in South Korea. Hyun Jin-oh and his association “Cherry 2050” are looking to replace these trees with a Korean equivalent, the royal cherry, which they cultivate in their nursery.
“The Yoshino is a Japanese species, while the royal cherry is an endemic species of South Korea. It’s not that Japanese trees are inherently ‘bad,’ but the cherry blossom holds a strong cultural significance in Japan. It is tied to Japanese history and ideology. During the Japanese colonization of Korea, these trees were massively planted on our land to enforce a culture,” explains Hyun Jin-oh.
When asked how his association plans to replace hundreds of thousands of trees, he specifies: “Japanese cherry trees have a lifespan of about 60-80 years. When they reach the end of their life, meaning soon, we believe they should be replaced by indigenous cherry trees. However, in certain symbolic places like sites related to anti-Japanese resistance or the National Assembly, we believe a faster replacement is necessary.”
Back in Seoul, the streets and banks of the Han River are filled with passersby who have come to observe and capture the blooming cherry trees with their cameras. Lee Jung-gu, in his fifties, is one of them. Although he knows the trees he admires were planted by the Japanese occupiers, he prefers not to dwell on it too much. “The fact that cherry trees spread widely in Korea because of Japan is a painful history that reminds us of our past. But we can’t dwell on the past, otherwise, Korea will never move forward. Of course, we must not forget the lessons of history. But at the same time, there’s no need to reject what we have today. We can simply enjoy spring as it is.”
To enjoy spring and its cherry trees, whether Korean or Japanese, one must act quickly. The blooming only lasts for a few days each year, a fleeting moment that delights everyone, both in Seoul and Tokyo.
[Context: The controversy surrounding the cherry blossom trees in South Korea due to their Japanese origins.] [Fact Check: Activists aiming to replace Japanese cherry blossom trees with Korean varieties by 2050 due to historical and cultural reasons.]
