South Korean man dies after self-immolation at anti-Tokyo protest

SEOUL, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- A South Korean man who set himself on fire during a public protest outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul has died after suffering third-degree burns over his body.

Choi Hyeon-yeol, an 81-year-old activist with a group that petitioned the Japanese government on behalf of South Korea's "comfort women," passed away at 6 a.m. local time on Friday, Yonhap reported.

Choi's self-immolation took place on Aug. 12 ahead of South Korea's 70th anniversary of liberation from colonial rule. Before sprinkling himself with a flammable substance, Choi had written a suicide note and manifesto documenting the reason for his deadly actions. South Korean newspaper Hankyoreh reported the man also threw a bag containing dozens of leaflets, asking the public that they be "delivered to those in charge."

The leaflets contained statements critical of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and read, "We must fight together as one against Japan."

South Korean newspaper Kyunghyang Shinmun reported Choi's eight-page handwritten suicide note, titled "A Cry To All 70 Million Korean Compatriots," condemned South Korea's powerful elite who once benefited from colonial rule as collaborators. In his statement, Choi also criticized the Japanese government for claiming the disputed Dokdo, or Takeshima Islets – and said Tokyo needs to apologize for its wartime past.

Choi passed away after being unable to regain consciousness for nine days at Seoul's Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart hospital. During that time a civic group held a candlelight vigil for Choi. The group has said Choi is a descendant of colonial-era independence fighter Choe Byeong-su who was sent to prison in 1932 after demanding the Japanese return land to Korean farmers.