Survivors of World World II nuclear bombing in Japan share their stories ahead of Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day
Survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings traveled thousands of miles to Arkansas
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SPRINGDALE, Arkansas (KHBS, KHOG) — Survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings traveled thousands of miles to Arkansas, standing alongside members of the Marshallese community to share their stories and demand action. The event was held just days before Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day. Organizers said it brought together those affected by nuclear devastation to ensure history is never forgotten.
Among the speakers was 92-year-old Park Jung-soon, a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing. She was just 12 years old when the nuclear bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945.
“I thought I was dead. There was a lot of pain and screaming that day,” she said. “All of my parents, my siblings, my family suffered from this bombing.”
Now, she’s demanding action from the U.S. government.
“The U.S. claims they are one of the greatest powers in the world. But they haven’t spoken about what they have done to us,” she said. “They should apologize, compensate, and pay reparations.”
The impact of the bombings did not end in 1945. Kim Gyu-Ri and Lee Tae-Jae, second-generation survivors, spoke about the lasting impact.
“The reason I came here is to advocate for people like us,” Kim said.
During the event, two students from Sonora Middle School in Springdale gave a presentation their miniature replication of the Runit Dome, a nuclear waste site left from U.S. testing in the Marshall Islands.
“All of this is not really known to the public,” said Hayden Hernandez, a seventh grader at Sonora Middle School.
“There are potential health and climate concerns if it leaks,” added Morene Mote, who is also a seventh grader.
Organizers say the event was about more than just remembering the past.
“We find so many similarities in our communities, especially when it comes to these nuclear issues,” said Benetick Kabua Madison, Executive Director of the Marshallese Education Initiative. “They’re finding a voice, and we’re finding a voice to make sure that our nuclear stories are shared worldwide.”
Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day is on March 1st.
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