Plan to move freedom fighters’ busts sparks ideological clash

The Defense Ministry is considering the relocation of the busts of late Korean freedom fighters with alleged communist affiliations both from a military academy and its own headquarters, a move spurring ideological debate and controversy.

A bust of freedom fighter Hong Beom-do, located in front of the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan District, central Seoul, is seen Monday. The Defense Ministry said this bust could also be relocated after announcing plans last week to possibly remove busts of alleged communist-affiliated independence activists erected in front of the Korea Military Academy. [YONHAP]

The Ministry of National Defense is considering the relocation of the busts of late Korean freedom fighters with alleged communist affiliations both from a military academy and its own headquarters, a move spurring ideological debate and public controversy.

Last week, the Defense Ministry revealed a plan to relocate the busts of five late Korean independence activists, including revered freedom fighter Hong Beom-do, currently erected in front of the Korea Military Academy in Nowon district, northern Seoul.

The ministry and military academy cited records of their past affiliations with the Soviet Communist Party and communist activities.

The academy said last week that it is "inappropriate for the military to commemorate those surrounded by various controversies, such as membership in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and a history of related activities."

It said this goes against the academy's training of military cadets based on the spirit of the South Korean constitution of "liberal democracy and market economy."

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup told lawmakers of the National Assembly's defense committee last Friday, "A question was raised as to whether there should be [a bust of] a figure with a communism background in a place that trains personnel needed to deter war against North Korea," indicating he supported the relocation plan.

His remarks resulted in further backlash, including from liberals and civic groups.

However, Jeon Ha-kyu, a Defense Ministry spokesman, told reporters Monday that the military is also considering relocating another bust of Hong located on its premises.

Jeon said the ministry has been examining the possible relocation since last year amid criticism that Hong had joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and had taken part in related activities.

Jeon also said that the ministry is not considering installing a bust of late Gen. Paik Sun-yeop, a Korean War hero accused of being a pro-Japanese figure, to replace the one of Hong at its headquarters.

When asked if the ministry is also considering changing the name of a Navy submarine named after Hong Beom-do, Jeon left open that possibility.

"It is an issue that needs to be reviewed by the Navy," Jeon said, adding "nothing has been decided."

Jang Do-young, a Navy spokesman, told reporters that the Navy is currently "not reviewing a change of the vessel's name."

A presidential official said on Sunday the relocation issue "will be decided by the Defense Ministry and the military academy after careful review."

Hong (1868-1943) served as a commander of the Korean Independence Army during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. He is especially known for his heroics leading Korean independence troops to victory in the Battle of Fengwudong against Japanese forces in northeastern China in June 1920. He also led the Korean Independence Army in the Battle of Qingshanli, also in northeastern China, in October later that year.

Hong later moved to Primorsky Krai, or the Russian Far East, and lived there until he was forced to relocate to Kazakhstan due to Soviet leader Joseph Stalin's deportation of ethnic Koreans in 1937.

Hong posthumously received the Presidential Medal of the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1962. In August 2021, Hong's remains were repatriated from Kazakhstan, and he was buried at the national cemetery in Daejeon.

The Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan, South Chungcheong, is being discussed as a potential new site for the busts.

The other busts, installed at the academy in 2018 under the Moon Jae-in government, are of freedom fighters Kim Chwa-chin, Ji Cheong-cheon, Lee Beom-seok and Lee Hoe-young.

The Heritage of Korean Independence, an association representing freedom fighters and their descendants, in a statement Sunday strongly protested the relocation plan and demanded Defense Minister Lee resign for "betraying the national conscience."

Lee Jong-chan, chairman of the National Liberation Committee, slammed the defense minister in an open letter. He wrote, "If one doesn't have the ability to judge for oneself, resigning from the position of defense minister is the way for South Korea."

The liberal Democratic Party (DP) criticized the move Monday, with leader Lee Jae-myung calling the plan "anti-historical."

Lee told his party's supreme council meeting that this issue is reminiscent of the "controversy over state textbooks during the Park Geun-hye administration." He referred to the Park administration's plan to only use state-issued history textbooks in schools, a plan which was rolled back after much criticism.

The People Power Party (PPP) in turn played down the backlash, noting the busts are only being relocated and that the DP was overreacting.

"It's just a matter of relocating them to the Independence Hall, not a removal of the busts," said Yoo Seong-bum, a PPP spokesman, Monday. "This is a DP-style propaganda campaign."

He said Hong is a "hero" of the independence movement but "also a person with various controversies."

However, not all voices within the PPP supported the move, with Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo calling it "excessive" to try to remove the independence movement heroes by applying the "communist" label.

Conservative groups hold a protest in front of the Gwangju city hall calling for the metropolitan government to withdraw a plan to construct a memorial park commemorating communist composer Jeong Yul-sung on Monday. [YONHAP]

The controversy follows another ideological clash over the government's initiation of a legal review to prevent the construction of a park in Gwangju to commemorate communist composer Jeong Yul-sung (1914-1976), also known as Zheng Lucheng.

Jeong, a naturalized Chinese composter born in Gwangju, is revered in China and North Korea for composing the military anthems for both countries, including for the Chinese People's Liberation Army, but is a lesser-known figure in South Korea.

The controversy surrounding Jeong came to light when Minister of Patriot and Veterans Affairs Park Min-shik criticized the Gwangju city government for spending 4.8 billion won ($3.6 million) in tax money on a park commemorating "a communist" who fought for China's interests.

President Yoon Suk Yeol said the issue of preventing the construction of a park in Gwangju that would commemorate Jeong is not just one that rests with the Ministry of Patriot and Veterans Affairs, according to a presidential official.

A senior presidential aide told JoongAng Ilbo Monday that Yoon told his aides this is a "serious problem that undermines the identity of the Republic of Korea."

Yoon was quoted as tell the paper that the park issue was not just one for the Veterans Affairs Ministry, but that "all relevant ministries must respond promptly and thoroughly."

The official noted that going beyond the historical debate, this was also a request for a thorough inspection of how government subsidies and budgets are being used both by related ministries and at the local level.

On Monday, the Veterans Affairs Ministry and conservative groups held protests in Gwangju calling for the withdrawal of the park project.

"Jeong Yul-sung was a cheerleader who boosted the morale of our enemies who pointed knives and guns at us," Minister Park said at Suncheon Station in South Jeolla. "The resentment and blood of countless patriotic souls who were killed by communist forces have not yet cooled."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]