Seen is a screenshot from the encyclopedia of the Chinese portal site Baidu Baike, which misrepresents the nationality of poet Yun Dong-ju (1917-1945) as Chinese. Screenshot from Seo Kyoung-duk's Instagram

On the 80th anniversary of his passing, Yun Dong-ju, a Korean poet and independence activist during Japan's 1910-45 occupation of Korea, is still being misrepresented by China as a Chinese national, Seo Kyoung-duk, who is dedicated to combating misinformation about Korean history, said on Sunday.

Poet Yun Dong-ju / Courtesy of Ministry of Patriots & Veterans Affairs

The professor from Sungshin Women's University pointed out that Baidu Baike, an online encyclopedia in China, has been distorting the nationality of the poet Yun (1917-45) by listing him as Chinese.

"For the past five years, I have consistently sent protest emails to Baidu to correct the nationality to 'Korean,' but they have ignored me," the professor said, urging the Korean government to request the Chinese government to rectify this distortion.

China has been introducing Yun as Chinese on various platforms, not just this portal.

In 2023, China's state-run newspaper Global Times described Yun as a "Korean-Chinese patriotic poet" who participated in the independence movement against Japanese imperialism.

At the birthplace of Yun in Longjing, Jilin, China, a large stone monument inscribed with "Chinese Korean Patriotic Poet" remains at the entrance, potentially causing confusion among visitors.

"Many Chinese tourists I met at Yun Dong-ju's birthplace regarded him as a Chinese person," Seo said. "Now, the Korean government must strongly protest to the Chinese authorities regarding the distortion of Yun Dong-ju."

He announced plans to release a multilingual video about the poet on this year's March 1 Independence Movement Day, a national holiday commemorating the 1919 Korean protests against Japanese colonial rule, to promote awareness of Yun both domestically and internationally.

The poet has been highly recognized in Korea for his politically defiant poems written during the Japanese occupation, as he expressed his love for the nation and his earnest desire for independence amidst the grim reality of colonial rule.

Though the poet was imprisoned in Japan for his alleged involvement in the independence movement and died in prison there on Feb. 16, 1945, his legacy of lyrical poems, filled with the spirit of resistance and love for Korea, remains deeply cherished by Koreans.

In recognition of his meritorious service, the government posthumously awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1990.